A Chance Encounter
by sodapopritalin
Summary: They were like a moth and a flame, drawn to each other automatically. No one could explain it, neither of them cared. All they knew is that they were happy together, even though both their hectic lives kept pulling them apart. [Dean Ambrose x OC]
1. The New Girl

Jon was never too excited to be at one of these, but he knew he had to at _least_ make an appearance, since he was going to be in the damned show and all. Fiddling with the collar of his button front, his wild blue eyes scanned the room. Corporate hot shots, co-workers and their loved ones, and a few celebrities who would be making a splash at the event filled the floor, mindless chatter being heard all around. It was a party to celebrate the upcoming "Money In the Bank" Pay Per View. Like Vince needed a reason to throw a party. But here they were, hobnobbing with everyone, even the few "super fans" they'd allowed access to the event.

"You look fine, but you're about to rip your collar off." his buddy Joe appeared out of nowhere, which was always weird, considering his size. He was taller than Jon by a few inches, the Samoan a light walker defying his build.

"I just can't stand being all done up."

"_Done up_? Jonny boy, you threw a plaid over what you usually wear to the ring." Joe chuckled, taking in his friend's appearance. Jon's hair never behaved when it was dry; dirty blonde curls flopping across his face and around his ears. Jon would usually find some way to retort, but something else had his attention. Someone, to be exact. Five foot two, bright auburn hair that just brushed her chin, and a sparkly black dress, paired with bright red kitten heels, showing off her pale skin in the best way possible.

"Dude, that's Whitney. Her band new single is the theme for the show." Jon had heard of them, how could he not? They were the newest up and coming thing, perfect for a summer kickoff Pay Per View.

"Been here what, ten minutes, and Jon's already got a target to hook up with tonight?" Colby completed their trio, the former members of the Shield stable stood, checking out the singer at the bar.

"I ain't just some _dog_, dry humpin' the air, Lopez. Not that she wouldn't fit the bill, though."

"Go talk to her then, hot shot, before someone steals her away. I saw Taylor Rotunda chatting her up earlier." Joe instigated, already watching his brother get himself worked up over her.

"Like **hell** I'm going to let fuckin' _Bo Dallas_ get a girl before me. I'll talk to you two later on. Or better yet, _we_ will." Jon quipped, shoving his hands in his pockets, making his way up to the bar, just as the bartender was taking notice of Whitney. Even in her heels, she barely brushed his shoulder, which oddly gave him butterflies. From this view, he could see her face, already getting lost in her brown eyes.

"Jack and Coke please." Her voice had a slight Southern drawl, her lips pulled into a nervous smile.

"A girl after my own heart." Jon piped up, causing her to turn and notice him while he took the opportunity to order another beer from the barkeep.

"Hey, I've seen you on some of the posters. Dean, right?" he rocked on his heels, smiling a bit, not sure if he was glad she wasn't one of those 'super fan' types.

"Yeah. Well, Dean is my stage name. Hi, I'm Jon. Jon Good." Offering his hand, she shook it, her small palm warm within his own.

"Whitney. Whitney Ryan. Real _and_ stage name." she teased back, blushing at how Jon quickly caressed her hand before letting go.

"Let's go find a spot and talk. Unless you're already with someone?" _Please say no, please say no,_ he thought to himself.

"Nope. Not with anyone. Except my band mates, they're basically my big brothers. They're prolly around here fangirling. We grew up watching wrestling, we just haven't had the time to keep up, trying to get the band off the ground and all."

"Well then, looks like you found yourself with the right person then! C'mon, I'll introduce you to my friends. Jon wrapped his arm around her shoulders, turning them back towards his table.

"I dunno, Jon. You guys are all so intimidating. A little scary, y'know?" Her nervous smile grew into a wicked grin, looking up to give Jon her best doe eyes. Jon just smiled, liking where this flirting game was leading.

Leaning down, his nose pressed into her hair, Jon spoke lowly enough so only she could hear.

"Don't you worry, darlin'. I ain't about to let nothing happen to you."

Reaching the table, Jon grinned at his best friends, proud of himself for getting her attention.

"Joe, Colby, this is Whitney Ryan. Whitney, this is Joe Anoa'i, and Colby Lopez. You might know them better as Roman Reigns and Seth Rollins." She shook their hands politely, nodding quietly in appreciation when Jon pulled her chair out for her.

"Since when are you a gentleman?" Colby teased, mumbling lowly to avoid Whitney's ears.

_"Fuck off._" Jon retorted, straightening the cuffs on his shirt, looking at the menu they'd set out for the night.

"So, how's the rock star life?" Colby turned his attention to Whitney, Jon scrunching his nose, wondering if his friend was up to something.

"Oh, far from rock star. In fact, I think this is our biggest venue yet." she blushed, being overly humble.

"Wait, you're performing _tonight_?" Joe asked, his grey eyes widening at the news.

"Yep. Oh **fuck**! That reminds me, I should be getting everyone together if we're gonna get any kind of practice in." She was up in a hurry, Jon was caught off guard in his chair, barely able to catch her wrist before she got away.

"Hey wait! You uh, you wanna come hang with us after the show?" he paused, blue eyes wide and full of hope.

"Wouldn't miss it for the world, Jon." she whispered, leaning down a bit to kiss his cheek.


	2. Crazy

The band's performance was the finale of the party, Whitney headed backstage to change out of her now disheveled outfit, eager to get back to their dressing room before her best friends. She could still feel Jon's eyes on her, watching her. Not in a creepy way, more like he was fascinated. Fascinated in her. His blue eyes were trained on her, his smirk contagious when she lost herself to the beat of the music. She didn't mind him at all, because she was fascinated with him, too.

"Hurry up, shorty! I need in there!" Her drummer, Ben, shouted, banging on the door.

"Just be lucky I'm done. Gonna go check and see if they need a hand outside." _Gonna go and see Jon_, is what she thought.

"You mean you're gonna go off into the moonlight with your new wrestler boyfriend and his besties." Deacon, her bassist, poked at her while she slid on her Vans.

"Do men even have _'besties'_?"

"Way to avoid the actual _topic_, Ryan." he scoffed, causing her to blush.

"You really like him, huh?"

"Not to be all girly, but he's really handsome."

"And a little crazy."

"Crazy works for me. If we go out tonight, are y'all coming?" She turned to gaze at not only Deacon, and Ben's retreating form into the bathroom, but on her lead guitarist Jake, too.

"Nah. Ben's expecting his wife in tonight from home, and Jake's got a Skype date. I'm just hella tired."

"_**Lame!**_" she booed, laughing as she exited their makeshift dressing room. Heading towards the main room, she smiled bashfully, seeing the three wrestlers helping pack the band's equipment away, obviously trying to not be awkward, waiting for her.

"Well there she is!" Colby spotted her first, coming out of the shadows in a black tank top, dark skinnies, and her bright blue Vans.

"You came back." was all Jon could spit out, the weird feelings in his gut building, stunned by the girl in just jeans and a tank top. It was the first time in Jon's memory that any girl had ever had that effect on him, and boy was he hooked. Offering her his arm again, she took it, following Joe and Colby outside towards their car. Even then, so late in May it was almost June, recent rains had cooled the air. Whitney shivered slightly, the action not missed by Jon.

"You cold?" he asked, his tone soft and gentle. She tried to shake her head, but another breeze caused her whole body to shake instead. Jon just chuckled quietly, pulling her closer to wrap his arm around her shoulders.

"I have a jacket in the car you can use."

"What about you?" she peered up at him, fringe falling over her eyes. He brushed it away with his free hand, smiling.

"Maybe you can help keep me warm?"

Colby had already entered the car, watching as the pair walked up, Jon's arm draped around her. He just hoped that Jon wouldn't add the tiny rock star to his litany of '_love and leave_'. They looked good together, it was about time Jon found someone who was more concerned about his heart than the size of his bed.

"So what's the plan?" Whitney asked, sliding in the passenger seat, smiling bashfully at Jon, who was busy draping his light cotton jacket over her bare shoulders.

"Well, I know a lot of the crowd was heading out to the clubs. We could do that, or just go back to the hotel, and hit the pool."

"I'm good with either choice, but I gotta warn you, I'm a horrible dancer. Might be safer on New York City if I just went back to the hotel." Whitney giggled, hiding her reddening cheeks with baggy sleeves of Jon's jacket. Jon stifled his own laugh, settling into the backseat, arm still dangling around her shoulders.

"Don't worry, us too. Actually, I kinda like the hotel choice better. I'd rather not run into Renee tonight, and we all know she's not exactly the home body type." he grumbled, just able to catch Whitney's look of confusion and worry. Was she chasing a taken man?

"My most recent ex." he told her. _Fling_ was more like it, but he wasn't about to tell her about his and Renee's on and off friends with benefits lifestyle.

"She's not so keen on the fact that it's over, but it is so over." Jon continued, nudging the seat in front of him to hush the giggles of Colby. Whitney stiffened, not sure what this all meant, not sure she liked it. Jon sensed her tension, tugging her closer.

"Don't you worry about a thing, dollface. **You're** my girl." Whitney grinned at this, leaning onto Jon's chest, letting his arm fall from her shoulders to her torso, fingers playing with the hem of her shirt. She couldn't deny how relaxed she felt when she was with him, an easy calm settling in on her. She melted into him, the smell of cologne and faded tobacco intoxicating her like a drug. Peeking up at him, he looked content where he was, holding her, thumb rubbing against her hip bone. He could get used to this feeling. She turned away just as he happened to look down at her, feeling brave enough to kiss the crown of her head.

**"My** girl. Prettiest girl in the world." Jon whispered, and Whitney was reminded of her conversation with her band mates just a few minutes earlier.

_"Crazy works for me."_

* * *

**Author's Note: I promise chapter 3 to be longer, but I wanted to try and establish this story. The fact that I'm trying to write this and watch RAW at the same time, doesn't really help things!**


	3. What I Really Want

The fact the band had been booked in the same hotel as the rest of the WWE superstars definitely played in the favor of the group's plans for the evening. The foursome arrived at the same time as Whitney's band mates. Jon's initial fears that something romantic may have gone on between her and one of them were quickly dashed. It was evident in a hurry that Whitney Ryan was the over protected, teased to death, baby sister of the band. He zoned out, watching the four of them interact, Whitney tugging her luggage out of the pile, sidling a backpack on her shoulders.

"Earth to Jon." Colby laughed, snapping in front of those dazed baby blues. Jon shook the cobwebs loose from his brain, scratching aimlessly at the back of his neck.

"Wha?"

"She's gonna get changed into her swim stuff, get a bag ready for when we get out. I was seeing if you were coming with us, or just in your jeans at the thought of her in a swim suit." Colby wasn't usually that crass, but it wasn't everyday he got to tease one of his big brothers like that, especially Jon. He was usually the one giving Colby and Joe a hard time, teasing them about their own love lives.

"Yeah. Yeah, _dickhead_. Let's go." Jon grumbled, shoving Colby ahead of him, his brain already filling with the thought of her in the moonlit water, even if his friends were going to be with them. The trio shared a suite, preferring to travel and board together as much as possible. Colby's recent heel turn sometimes made that challenging, so they were grateful when they could all be together. Jon himself was just coming out of the bathroom, slipping a white undershirt on, hearing the knock at the door. Joe answered, revealing the singer at the door. She had a long, white cotton cover up on over her bathing suit, pink skulls stitched around the collar. The bottoms of her black shorts stuck out starkly against the white fabric, small feet in black flip flops. Jon took her bag, setting it on his bed without even thinking.

"Ready?" he asked, grabbing towels for everyone, being the last one out of the room. Whitney walked beside Joe, the big Samoan pretty much dwarfing the singer. She stole a glance over her shoulder, Jon smiling just a bit, giving her a nod, silently promising he was fine back there by his lonesome. Colby led the pack, reminding Jon like he usually did of a puppy, eager to find the next adventure.

The pool was empty, the only sound around were the ripples of the water bouncing off the edges. Though they didn't say it out loud, everyone was thankful for the peace, the chance to just hang out alone. Joe broke that silence, hurdling his body into the water, splashing water everywhere.

"It's not bad." he joked, smiling, wiping water from his eyes. Colby was a bit more cautious, getting in waist deep. Jon stood at the edge, watching, waiting for her to make a move. Pulling her tank top over her head, he was practically drooling. She didn't need to be in any string bikini for him. The sweetheart neckline of her top showed off just enough without it being out there for everyone to see. He was now more than sure she had an amazing ass that he wouldn't mind grabbing at some point. Or _**spanking**_, for that matter. Her whole suit was black, setting off her pale skin and reddish hair. She jumped in as well, her tiny frame only doing half the damage Joe created. Jon smiled, sliding slowly in, before going underwater completely. When he emerged, he saw her treading water beside him.

"Since we didn't really have time earlier, you should tell us more about you, Sunshine." Jon was always notorious for nicknaming people, usually bad with names, but she really did fit that one. Whitney's face turned serious, not really knowing where to begin. She'd never been the type to share much about her life. Only her band mates knew the truth from before they all met.

"Well, lets see. I'm almost twenty six, born and raised in Dallas. The guys and I met in school. Right after graduation, we decided to start a band. Of course, trying to be an adult got in the way. We just started headlining two years ago, around my birthday, for a Memorial Day show."

"Memorial Day? When's your birthday?" Joe asked, raising an eyebrow.

"May 25th, why?" Jon rolled his eyes, Colby and Joe laughing.

"Joe's birthday is the 25th too. Mine is the 28th." Colby told her, Jon sarcastically pouting.

"And Jonny boy here is the odd man out, born in December." Joe teased, splashing a little water at him.

"Yeah. And now I got **three** birthday presents to buy." The 25th would be at the end of the week, Jon's mind already swirling around what to get her.

"You don't have to buy me anything, silly."

"Sure I do. It's your birthday. What kinda guy wouldn't buy a birthday present for a girl he likes?" He wasn't about to beat around the bush now. They'd only known each other for the night, but he wasn't about to let her out of his life that easily. Joe smiled at the pair, challenging Colby to laps, trying to give them some space.

"Those two are idiots." Jon groaned, watching his brothers jokingly dunk each other, trying to get ahead. Whitney laughed, trying to shield her face from all the splashing water. Jon's hand gripped her waist, pulling her towards the wall.

"How long are you guys in town, anyways?" she changed the subject, brown eyes staring back at him, getting just as blunt as him.

"The rest of the week. _RAW_, _Main Event_, and _SmackDown_ are all going to be in the same arena. I might even stay a couple extra days since I'm not even sure if I'm in next Monday's show yet. What about you? Some other town to rock out in?" he smiled that crooked grin, red pooling in her cheeks.

"About the same. We wanted to settle for a bit, celebrate my birthday, get a little rest and down time. We have to be in Maine on Tuesday." Jon felt the first pangs of missing her. How often could they actually spend time together? Pulling her into his arms, he settled his hands on her hips, his fingers tapping on the small of her back.

"Good. That'll give us a week to spend together, at least. Can I take you out for your birthday? Or is that day already booked?" she giggled, shrugging.

"Yeah. That day's kinda booked. Welcome to come with, but we've had it planned since we knew we were coming to New York." It was his turn to shrug now, biting his bottom lip in thought.

"What if I said I wanted to take you out the night before, and be the first person to wish you happy birthday?"

_"That_, that could be arranged." She grinned, laughing when he cheered for himself.

A couple of hours were wasted in the water, everyone getting out cold and pruny. Colby and Joe bid their goodnights, both of them heading for a shower before catching up with their loved ones. Jon led Whitney into his room, her bag still lying on his bed. Nerves started creeping their way into Jon's system, wondering what their next move was.

"Shower here if you want. We can watch some movies on my laptop, or call it a night if you want?"

"Movies sound good. Be right back." she smiled, taking her bag into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her. Jon pulled his own clothes out of his suitcase, getting things ready for his own turn in the shower. Whitney was out before he knew it, her hair just a little curly, standing there in grey yoga pants and an old Rolling Stones tee.

"Can I help you?" she smiled, placing her bag against the wall, catching him staring.

"I really want to kiss you." he stammered out, licking his lips, watching as she looked dead at him.

"I really want to let you." she replied, barely taking a breath before he was right in front of her, one hand on her face, the other on her hip, holding her close to him. His lips were warm, chapped against hers. Whitney felt like she would explode right then and there, more than butterflies in her tummy. The kiss broke, Jon planting one more soft kiss on her forehead.

"Go shower silly. There's plenty more time for that when you don't smell like chlorine." Whitney told him, swatting as his chest. He grabbed her hand, giving it a small kiss before heading into the bathroom himself to shower.


	4. Interesting News

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: A lot of Whitney comes from my own personal experiences. I had Bell's Palsy when I was 14, and I looked up to JR as my hero, knowing his struggles with it. There's also some time-skipping taking place in the chapter, all in the interest of getting this story going!**

**Thanks so much for all the reviews/follows, means a lot!**

* * *

Having someone sleeping next to him was nothing new to Jon. He'd had his fair share of one night stands, spooning until the morning sun. But this night was different from all of those. There were cuddles, there were definitely more kisses, but it stayed innocent. He'd never deny he wanted to; he was a man, after all, but he was determined that he would be different with her, she made him feel different. He wasn't just a hot body to her, he was someone she was interested in. Around the middle of their second movie, Jon noticed she'd nodded off, small, even breaths warm on his neck, her hand flat on his chest. Carefully, he slid off the bed, packing his laptop away, about to lie back down when she woke up. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, Jon carded through her hair, a sleepy smile on her face.

"Hi." Whitney spoke simply, brown eyes unfocused, looking up at him.

"Hey yourself, sleepyhead. Wanna stay here tonight? Or should I walk you back to your room?" he prayed that she'd agree to stay, wanting to spend as much of the week with her as he possibly could. Whitney scrunched her nose, vain attempts to wake up, doe eyes looking back up at him from her pillow.

"You wouldn't mind if I stayed?" Jon smirked, pulling back the covers, tucking them both in once he slid in beside her, pulling her back in her spot on his chest.

"Not one bit. Night, Sunshine."

**XxX**

She was gone before lunchtime, Saturday night and Sunday being very quiet for Jon. Colby and Joe had convinced him Sunday afternoon to join them at the gym, making him regret the fast food he'd eaten for lunch. They'd stopped for a water break, Jon pulling his phone out of his bag, noticing the new text, smiling because of who sent it.

**[Lil' Sunshine] So, I just off the phone with Creative...**

What the hell would she be up to, talking to the show writers? His interest was piqued, she'd gotten at him again.

_[Jon] Should I be worried?_

**[Lil' Sunshine] Maybe, lol. Just kidding! They want me and the guys to be "special guests" on RAW tomorrow. We get some backstage parts :)**

_[Jon] So I get to see you wrestle a Diva?_

**[Lil' Sunshine] No, but if you say yes, my parts are with you. ;)**

_[Jon] hmmm... Oh Hell yes! ;P_

"Lil' Sunshine, huh?" Colby's voice scared the all holy shit out of Jon, suddenly aware of his presence over his shoulder. Jon quickly hid his blush, dropping the phone in his bag.

"Don't fuckin' start, Lopez." Jon rolled his eyes, sitting down on one of the weight benches. Colby just shook his head, wiping his sweaty face with a towel.

"I didn't even say _anything!_ In fact, I think it's cute. Fitting. She's a spitfire."

"Are we talking about Jonny's new girlfriend?' Joe piped in, returning from refilling his water bottle.

"She's not my girlfriend **yet.**"

"_Someone's_ sure of himself." Joe teased.

"Eh, I give it a year, tops. Knowing Jon, it'll be a winter wedding." Jon scrunched his nose, fighting with his emotions. The sappy side of him geeked out at the idea of marrying Whitney, getting his happily ever after. The tough side of him freaked out at the thought of three grown, sweaty ass men, sitting around campfire style, talking about winter weddings and being mushy over a girl.

"_**Anyways**_. Apparently, the band gets to be special guests tomorrow, and part of some backstage stuff. She never did tell me what, though."

"You and her? Backstage? With cameras? Is this gonna be able to air?" Jon rolled his eyes again, pushing Colby off his seat.

_"Asshole."_

Jon went to bed that night, exhausted, his pillows still smelling of her shampoo, and was a little more excited than usual to get to work in the morning.

**XxX**

Hearing the plan that Stephanie and Hunter had created, Jon was completely on board. Jerry, JBL, and Michael would segway into photos from the party, introducing the band's song as the theme song, and then explain that they were backstage as special guests. Jake would end get a chance to flirt with Paige. Ben and Deacon would be busy with Santino and Emma. Whitney's part would be a bit bigger, giving her a chance to come down to the ring, and ensure everyone they'd be in town in a few weeks to perform their single live in front of the WWE Universe. Jon arrived at the arena a little after eleven, already seeing a few people mingling around. He wondered if the band had made it in, but he didn't have to wonder long. Looking like a small child meeting Santa, Whitney stood in front of Jerry Lawler and Jim Ross, who still worked backstage from time to time, his Bell's Palsy keeping him behind the camera. Jon sneaked up beside her, smiling at just how in awe she was at meeting the commentary team.

"Hey, Jon!" Jerry greeted, his eyes wide, no doubt thanks to numerous cups of coffee. Jon smiled in return, looking over at JR and Whitney, who were off in their own little world, talking quietly together.

"She said we were her heroes. She had the same thing Jim had when she was a kid. Said she knew she'd get over it, cause she watched him get over it."

"Yep, she's a tough little princess." Jon mused, trying not to stare.

"Seems pretty stuck on you, too. That _your_ SHIELD jacket she was wearing at the hotel?"

"Say what?" Jerry chuckled, clapping Jon on the arm.

"You don't hafta play dense with me, son. I saw you two the other night." Jon was caught off guard, forgetting about the King's womanizing ways. Of course he would see through Jon's innocent act.

"We just hung out is all, Lawler. She was just in a tank top after the show, and got cold. I let her borrow my jacket." Jerry raised an eyebrow, but let it slide, since JR and Whitney had finished their conversation, turning back to the other pair.

"Well, hey there." Jon smiled, seeing Whitney looking like she just woke up, coffee still in hand. She gave him a quick smirk, turning back to the legends.

"We need to be heading off anyways, Cole and JBL hate it when I'm late to rehearsals. Don't you two do anything I wouldn't!" Lawler shouted behind him, Jim trailing after him. Jon shook his head, keeping his filthy mind to himself, instead sliding Whitney's backpack off her shoulders, placing his arm around her, leading her back to his room.

"C'mon doll. You can take a nap while I take a look at our little acting debut tonight."


	5. RAW

**Author's Note: Chapter skips around a little bit, hopefully it all still reads smoothly!**

* * *

"How come you didn't fangirl over me as much as you did Good Ole' JR, huh?" he teased later on that afternoon, the two of them still enjoying what little peace they had in the dressing room, Whitney still snuggled against him after her nap. His chest was solid and warm, small hairs poking through the soft cotton of his shirt

"I see you different than I see him. JR and Jerry were always mine and my dad's favorites. I went to a show when I was little, and I was grumpy because I couldn't hear the commentary. When I was 14, and diagnosed with Bell's Palsy, it was JR being there every night that made me realize it was something I could get over." Jon felt her stiffen, heard the change in her voice when she mentioned her father, deciding not to bring it up just then. Instead, he nudged her to stand.

"How's about I take you on a tour, yeah? We have some time before we need to get ready for the show. By the way, whatcha wearin' tonight?" Taking him by the hand, lacing their fingers, Whitney shrugged her shoulders.

"A little lace, a little leather, maybe something short. Who knows." Jon groaned, mental images not necessary, though _very_ welcomed, and began leading her through the backstage area. He introduced her to some of his friends, stopping to chat with the Uso's, who were very interested in the girl their cousin Joe had been telling them about. Jon shifted uncomfortably, not used to getting teased about his love life. Saying goodbye, he took her hand again, ready to take her to the ring, when he saw what he had hoped to avoid. Camera ready, even if the show was still hours away. Looking like a Canadian Barbie, Renee Young was headed their way. Tightening his grip on Whitney's hand, Jon tried desperately to walk without her noticing them, but he knew his attempts were futile. He was six foot four, two hundred twenty five pounds of a man that she wanted her legs wrapped around. Eyeballing his hand within hers, Renee's sickly sweet voice rang out across the hall.

"_Hey Jon!_" Trying not to rip Whitney's hand off in agitation, he ran his free hand through his curls, not looking her direction.

"Hey, Renee. **Bye** Renee." He turned his back quickly, but not before he saw her smile turn into a sneer. Jealousy was ugly on her, but he felt kind of accomplished that he was the one that put that face on her.

"She seemed pleasant." Whitney deadpanned, getting the creeps from the blonde already.

"Yeah. A regular Stepford Wife."

**XxX**

Once the show had started, Jon had to let go of Whitney, letting her go to the band's dressing room. He knew their plot perfectly. She would be by the catering table, enjoying the show, when she'd be harassed by one Randy Orton. Before Randy could be the real slimy viper his character was known to be, Jon would step in, and Dean Ambrose would become the savior. The Authority would of course, see this as a way to keep Dean away from their precious Seth Rollins, making the match official, complete with surprise when she ends up ringside.

He stood off to the side of the catering area, watching Joe in the ring, another battle with the Demon Kane. Or Corporate Kane, whichever gimmick he wanted to go with this week. He really did respect Glenn, and what he did for the company, but the man was nearing fifty, and made some of their moves look sloppy. Looking back towards catering, Whitney was talking with one of the production staff, getting set up with a mic for their shoot. She looked beautiful in a pair of dark wash boot cut jeans, paired with a lacy blue sleeveless top.

Randy approached her, Jon's blood suddenly boiling at the sight of Randy's fingers tracing Whitney's shoulders, even if it was all scripted. Whitney was playing her part perfectly, shivering at the touch, turning around with wide eyes to find the Viper.

"H-hi, Randy." Whitney mumbled, partly from nerves, partly from fear. Even if this was scripted, Randy Orton was still a huge, muscly man, and she was a tiny ball of fluff.

"Hey there, Whitney right?" she nodded, keeping tentative eyes on him.

"I should show you around a bit, you know, I _**am**_ the face of the WWE, after all."

"Uh, I'm good. Thanks, though." Turning away, Randy grabbed her arm a little roughly, causing her to turn swiftly.

"Oh come on, don't play hard to get."

**"Let me go!"** Whitney yelped, and Jon knew it was his time to act. Walking up with his usual swagger, Jon pushed Randy across the hall, getting up in his face, blue eyes ice cold.

"Why don't you leave her alone, huh? Go find your little _lapdog_, Rollins. I'm sure he'd appreciate the pettings."

"Didn't know you had a bodyguard, sweet cheeks. You should find yourself a better one, anything is better than this lunatic."

"You're the only lunatic I see, Orton." Whitney retorted, Jon making sure to keep her safely behind him. Randy seethed for a moment, glaring down Jon before stomping away.

"Thanks." Whitney mumbled, straightening her clothes, trying to regain her composure. Jon smiled, brushing off her shoulders, placing his arm around her waist.

"Come on, dunno who else from the Authority is creepin' around. What kind of a body guard would I be if I let you fall in their trap?" Both of them smiled, Jon leading her off while they went to commercial. As soon as they were around the corner, Jon picked Whitney up, spinning her around.

"You were _great_, Whit!" he cheered, settling her back on the ground, taking her by the hand. He knew people were staring, just reminding him that he needed to make a move soon, there were plenty of people ready to if he didn't.

"Remember the plan now?" she nodded, walking quickly to keep up with his broad strides.

"Yep. Randy goes and cries to Hunter, and he puts you two in a match. I end up down at ringside, on commentary."

"Just don't get all fangirl on Jerry again. Can't break character." he teased, kissing her forehead.

The night progressed just as they had predicted, Whitney enjoying every moment of it. Standing beside him in Gorilla position, she watched Randy head out to the ring, booed mercilessly by the WWE Universe the whole way there. He was quickly handed a microphone, already seething and pacing. Jon cracked his knuckles, jumping a bit in place, gearing himself up.

"Good luck, handsome." She grabbed his hand quickly, causing him to look at her.

"See you after the match, Sunshine." he replied, leaning down for a quick kiss. Soon his music started, and the sweet Jon Good she knew turned into the lunatic fringe, Dean Ambrose. Sweat and water dripping down his hair and onto his tank top, eyes bugged wide. Whitney waited for her cue from the producer, nervously watching Jon get thrown around.

"Alright, you're up." the whisper was quick, but she knew what to do. Sauntering down the aisle, she blew kisses at the fans, a particularly big one for Dean. Randy's face could melt stone, his cheeks were that hot, while Whitney made her way to the commentary table. Jerry made a spot for her on his side, pulling up another chair. Her eyes were locked on the match in front of her, but she was able to focus on the men beside her.

"Whitney Ryan, what brings you out here right now?" Michael Cole asked her, while she grinned back at him.

"I have a little vested interest in this match. I may not be able to be a bodyguard for Dean, but maybe I can bring a little luck or something." she told him, swirling in the big office chair.

"You're rooting for **_Ambrose?!_** He's _insane_! He's _touched_, like they say in the South!" JBL shouted, incredulous looks being thrown her way.

"I know what they say in the South, JBL, I grew up in Dallas. But what can I say? I like crazy."

"Are you gonna be bringing Dean any luck at the **Money in the Bank** Pay Per View?" King's turn, and Whitney was almost distracted by a flying Jon landing right in front of her feet. He flashed her a quick smile, knowing her heart was in her throat, before going back on the Orton assault.

"I'm definitely going to be at Money in the Bank, King. Now whether Dean wants me in his corner, well, we're gonna have to wait and see, won't we?" The questions turned more basic, Whitney ready for it to all be over. She grew up watching sports entertainment, knowing these men put their bodies on the line day in and day out. But when it was a man she had feelings for, a man whose skin she felt safe against, her feelings changed completely. She was more than a fan, now.

Randy fought dirty, of course, nailing Dean with a chair when he knew he was close to being beat. Dean's hand was raised in tainted victory, Jon tiredly sliding out of the ring to meet up with Whitney.

"You alright?" she asked him, wiping the fringe from his eyes.

"Sure am, beautiful. They're cheering my name, you're here with me, the hell else could a guy want?"

"Let's get back to the hotel. You, me, and a hot tub sound pretty good."

"You're too good to me, woman." Jon laughed, raising their hands, walking up the ramp, not knowing what made him smile more; the chanting of his name, or the woman with a tight hold of his hand.


	6. SmackDown!

**Author's Note: A little longer. :) Thanks for all the reviews and follows!**

* * *

Sitting on the edge of his bed, Jon wondered if he should worry. He hadn't heard from Whitney since they said their goodnights after RAW the night before. Shaking his head, he figured she was just busy with her friends, trying to keep himself occupied in the gym. Looking at the clock, it was getting close to time to leave and tape Smackdown, and he wanted her to join him. Grabbing his phone off the nightstand, Jon sent her a quick text.

**[Jon] You coming tonight?**

_[Lil' Sunshine] Hadn't even thought about it, its been a crazy day._

**[Jon] Then come with me! I only have like two bits, and then we can come back.**

_[Lil' Sunshine] I dunno... ;)_

**[Jon] I need my good luck charm! :P**

_[Lil' Sunshine] Meet you in the lobby! _

He cheered, glad she was coming along. Smackdown was a completely different show than RAW. Not only was it an hour shorter, it was taped, airing later in the week. Tugging a shirt on, Jon made his way down to the lobby, spotting her quickly, dressed in short shorts, paired with a green and gray baseball tee, saying goodbye to one of her band mates; Jake, if he remembered correctly. Sneaking up behind her, Jon placed his hands on her hips.

"How can you be so adorable and so _fucking_ sexy at the same time, huh?" his lips ghosted against the top of her head, where only she could hear. Whitney's cheeks reddened, not knowing how to answer him. She wanted to be with Jon. She wanted Jon. Her insecurities held her back from telling him that, though, scared that he only wanted her for a booty call, or worse, not at all. Taking him by the hand, Jon raised hers up to his lips, giving it a soft kiss.

**XxX**

Heading into the arena that afternoon, they made it just as the cafeteria was setting up for lunch. Jon spotted a pair of seats next to WWE's newest power couple, Brie Bella and Daniel Bryan. Daniel left with Jon to get food, leaving the singer alone with the Diva.

"Looks like someone's pretty hooked on you." Brie teased, Whitney just shrugging, picking at the hem of her shirt.

"It's playful." She replied, wondering exactly who she was trying to fool, watching Jon in line.

"Seems pretty intense to me, actually." Brie countered, raising an eyebrow at the singer's astonished face.

"Really?" Whitney asked, brown eyes curious.

"Uh yeah. I mean, I've known Dean for a couple of years now, and I've never seen him act like that. He's gentle, he's sweet. Those aren't really words we've used to describe Ambrose in the past." Whitney smiled, listening to Brie's words, still a little confused when they called him by his stage name.

"What was he like with Renee?"

Brie's face twisted, obvious she wasn't a fan of the blonde's.

"Renee used Dean. I don't think she knows what love really means, you know? They were basically just friends with benefits, but it got old quickly. I think it was Seth's fiance that first started seeing Renee for the witch she really was. Jon broke it off, but she's deluded, thinking he'll go back to her." Brie laughed, assuring Whitney that her man was completely available, even if he did have a crazy ex. Brie might have told her more, but stopped suddenly, seeing Jon and Daniel return with lunch.

"You're gonna be on your own for a bit, honey." Jon greeted, grumbling a bit while he handed her a Styrofoam box filled with a Philly cheese steak and fries.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I got a few meetings I have to go to this afternoon before the taping. Shouldn't be more than an hour." Brie lit up like a child with a new toy, listening to the two of them talk.

"I got her, Dean. Not to worry." Whitney and Jon both looked up, wondering what the woman was thinking.

"I can introduce her to some of the Divas." Whitney held her breath, those same insecurities from earlier bubbling up again. Those girls were flawless, about as close to perfect as you could get. She found herself suddenly feeling sorely inadequate, wanting to hide in the crowd, not feeling so confident anymore. He could see her fighting with herself internally, not knowing how to react. He wasn't her boyfriend- yet. Jon waited until the crowds were clearing out, pulling her close, wrapping his arms around her.

"Don't you let them Barbie dolls give you a makeover. You're perfect as you are." He didn't need a pageant princess, he wanted this princess, the one in his arms that wasn't out to impress the world. Her bangs shaded her face from him, but he knew he'd gotten through to her, even if it was just a little bit. Tightening his grip on her just a bit, he kissed her forehead.

"Have fun, dollface. I'll see you in a bit."

Brie could tell that the singer was uncomfortable, taking her by the hand, silently trying to support her. The Divas could be intimidating, and not all of them were so welcoming of newcomers. Once Whitney began to open up, she made a few friends quickly, especially with the Bellas, and Paige. Whitney followed behind the Bellas as Nikki prepared for a dark match that evening, heading out towards the stage. They stopped at a cooler, Nikki grabbing a bottle of water.

"Oh great, here comes trouble." Brie sighed. Whitney didn't need to turn around to know who it was. Renee was in her peripheral soon enough, reaching into the cooler for a bottle of her own.

"So you're Jon's _new fling,_ right?"

"I _have_ a name." She'd said six words to her, and Whitney could already see why everyone had an issue with the commentator. She stood there smugly, oblivious to the twins she'd bumped into, focused on getting under the singer's skin.

"Sure you do, little girl. But I bet its **my name** he's moaning in bed." Blood rushed to Whitney's ears, her hands clenching into fists, Nikki clutching at her wrist before she could swing, unable to stop her from retorting.

"Maybe when he's having a **nightmare**. I mean, I sure as hell might." Renee's knuckles turned white, holding the bottle with a vice-like grip, trying to keep from slapping the girl. She wanted to, but she knew she'd be punished for hitting the guests, no matter how much they interrupted her plans. Brie saw it, barely able to pull Whitney back before Renee was able to completely drench her with water. Her shoes were soaked, her front dampened, but nowhere near the damage she'd wanted to cause.

"_Oops_." Renee played it off, sauntering away before the women could change their mind and tackle the Canadian Barbie.

"You alright?" Brie asked her, handing Whitney a couple of napkins.

"Yeah. Gonna go back to Jon's room, dry my shoes out a bit. See you girls later?" The Bellas nodded, giving her a quick hug goodbye.

Jon was in the shower when she reached his room, Whitney trying to dry off a bit before he spotted her. She didn't want to have to explain what had just happened to him, not wanting him to feel like he had to protect her all the time.

"Hello? Sunshine, is that you?" the water stopped, his voice echoing off the tile.

"It's me. Don't worry."

"**Worry?** I was about to have you come _join_ me. Hey, why are you all wet?" _Damn_, he was observant.

"I uh..."

"What happened, sugar?"

"_Renee_ happened." Whitney hung her head, not wanting to see his face.

"Did she hurt you?"

"No. I was with Brie and Nikki. We were headed towards the stage when she caught up to us, trying to talk smack. She couldn't hit me, so she tried to throw water on me instead." Jon tried very hard to keep Whitney from seeing him shake in anger, wanting to choke the blonde, feeling horrible about how the afternoon had gone.

"Just try to forget about that crazy bitch. Let's think of happier thoughts, hmm? Like me and you celebrating your birthday tomorrow night."

"Right! So, where we going?"

"Like I'm spoiling the surprise, Sunshine." Whitney joined Jon on the couch, leaning back onto his still damp shirtless chest.

"I'm sorry tonight's been so shitty."

"Its had its good moments." Jon smiled, wrapping his arm around her. Getting ready could wait.

**XxX**

The next night, it was Whitney's turn to wait.

He'd told her to dress casually, that he'd meet her in the lobby. She checked herself out in the mirror, wondering if the tank top and skater skirt she had on was too much.

"**Boo**." a whisper came from behind, causing her to jump. Jon's strong arms caught her, laughing as she turned to face him. He was gorgeous in his jeans and navy polo, the blue in his shirt making his eyes shine that much brighter. He'd left his hair dry, liking it when she played with his hair. Just like the night they met, Jon offered her his arm, leading her out to his car, holding her hand the entire drive. Jon was terrified she wouldn't like his plan, ruining his plans for the rest of the night. Pulling into the parking lot, he held his breath, waiting for her reaction.

"We're going bowling?" Whitney asked excitedly, turning to look into Jon's eyes while he nodded.

"Yeah. They just started black light bowling. Maybe the dark will hide how bad I am at it." he laughed, hopping out, helping her out, hoping this was a good sign for the rest of the night.

Jon wasn't lying about being bad. The more he missed, the more frustrated he got, the worse his shots got. Whitney fared a little better, picking up a few spares. She'd barely finished her set, watching Jon fling another ball down the lane, shaking her head in quiet giggles. Before he could take another shot, she put her hand atop his own.

"If you'd stop throwing it towards the gutter, you might just make it down the lane." He tensed at her touch, but not because he didn't want it. He craved her like a drug, one that he would be more than willing to overdose on. With her help, he was able to make the shot, grinning as she cheered for him, his own personal cheerleader. Looking up at the clock, he noticed it was getting late, almost time for his biggest surprise. Turning in their shoes, they left the alley, heading across the street to a park. Nearing a big fountain, they stopped in front of it, Jon shoving his hands in his pockets. He was nervous, sick to his stomach, worried it might end badly. Taking her hand, and one deep breath, he went for it.

"I've been trying to find a way to say this for the past two days, without it sounding all corny, or too mushy, but I can''t find the right way, so fuck it. I'm just gonna say it. I've only known you for a couple of days, but they've been the _best_ days of my life. You've been on my mind constantly. You touch me, and I feel like my nerves are _**on fire**_. I need to know that someone won't steal you away from me, because my heart wouldn't be able to take it. What I'm trying to get at, Whitney, is, can we make this official?"

Tears were brimming in her eyes, completely shocked, ecstatic that he felt the same way. No words could explain how she felt at that moment, deciding to let her actions speak louder than words. Tugging on his shirt collar, she pulled him down to her level, kissing him with more passion than she'd ever felt before in her whole life. She felt him smile against her lips, lifting her off the ground, spinning her around. A beeping noise began sounding from his pocket, an alarm sounding from his phone. Looking at the screen, the clock shined back at him. Midnight. It was officially her birthday. Wrapping her tightly in his arms, Jon got exactly what he wanted, getting to be the first one to say it.

"Happy birthday, baby."


	7. Birthdays and Goodbyes

**Author's Note: Hi :) Thanks for the reviews/follows!**

* * *

_**Girlfriend**_. The word felt foreign on his tongue. He had _girls_, and he had _friends_, but when was the last time Jon Good had ever had a real and true _girlfriend_? Reby Sky? Renee? No, he thought silently to himself, in the early morning hours that Thursday. No girl he'd ever been with had ever affected him like this. He'd bought her a present, the small black bag sitting in the corner, waiting on dinner that night. She and Joe were going to be the center of attention, Joe teasingly accusing her of being a "birthday stealer". Jon liked the fact that he was just a bit older than her, a little less than three years her senior. Whitney had told him the night before that she'd initially been scared to come to New York, having barely left the state in her life. Words couldn't explain how glad he was she'd conquered her fear.

Grabbing his phone from his nightstand, he decided to send a text.

**[Jon] Good morning, my birthday girl! How's your bros treating you?**

He hadn't been expecting a reply so soon, but knowing her, she had her phone already in hand, taking pictures of everything around her. She sent him a few of those, just more proof that he had the most beautiful girlfriend in the world. Whitney looked like a movie star in her striped dress and yellow cardigan, her brown eyes covered by her white Ray-Bans. Finally he got an actual response.

_[Lil' Sunshine] Hi handsome :) They're spoiling me!_

**[Jon] Well you deserve it, babygirl. Can't wait to see you tonight!**

_[Lil' Sunshine] You're not sick of me yet? ;)_

**[Jon] Never gonna happen, dollface. Now get back to enjoying New York! ;)**

**XxX**

To the outsiders looking in, they sure were a sight. Six men, ranging from Joe's muscular build, down to Deacon's wiry, slightly hipster frame. In the middle of it all was the token girl, the woman that brought them all together. Her skin was slightly sunburned, her sunglasses swapped for a pair of regular frames, surprising Jon.

"Since when do you wear glasses, babe?" He couldn't remember ever seeing her in glasses, and was rightly confused. Whitney grinned, straightening them on her face.

"I wear contacts most of the time, but I felt like wearing them tonight. I don't look super dorky, do I?" she pouted. Jon took her chin between his thumb and index finger, getting her to look at him.

"Not at all. More like a hot teacher or something. Maybe one day you can keep me in detention."

"Does someone have a _roleplay kink_?" Damn, he loved that about her. Whitney Ryan may look sweet and innocent, but he was quickly discovering she had a cheeky sense of humor.

"Not really. Just don't call me '_daddy'_ in public. I won't be responsible for my actions." he whispered in her ear, guiding her to the table where the rest of them were already getting settled in. A few days earlier, these seven were two separate groups that happened to meet. Now they were a family.

"Is there cake? We can't have a birthday party without cake." Ben whined, already thinking about dessert.

"We'd probably be a fire hazard, with all the candles." Whitney teased.

"And that's just for Joe." Jon quipped, steely gray eyes training on him.

"Keep laughing, Jonny boy. I'll take you down right here." Joe challenged, a wicked smirk on his face.

"Save it for the bedroom, boys." Colby intervened, raising his glass for a toast, "Right now, we celebrate. Joe and Whitney, happy birthday!"

Dinner flowed into drinks, and to Ben's delight, cake. Ben and Jon busied themselves separating the presents, Jon holding the one he bought for her separate from the rest. He waited until they had some time alone to let her open it, holding his breath until he could see her reaction. It was a simple necklace, a small silver infinity charm. Something about it called to him, he just hoped she liked it.

"I hope it's not too much." he bit his lip, nervously watching her open it.

"It's beautiful, Jon. I love it. You didn't have to-" he smirked, taking the necklace from her hands.

"I did too, sweetheart. I _wanted_ to. Now turn around so I can put it on you and see." Clasping it around her neck, Whitney twirled, Jon's fingers gingerly tracing the charm from its spot right below her collarbones.

"Almost as pretty as you."

**XxX**

Friday was spent relaxing, Saturday spent packing, dreading what Sunday would bring. Their newly formed family would be separated for a month, the band supposed to re-join the roster the Friday before the pay per view. Jon sat on the bed, his back against the headboard, Whitney leaning back on his chest, settled between his legs. No one wanted to look at the suitcases in the corner, hoping they'd go away like a bad dream.

"So, a month, right?" Her voice trembled, Jon's arms wrapping tight around her middle. It was the first time they were actually talking about their plans after tomorrow morning.

"About that, yeah. We've got some shows in Canada, and the upper East Coast before we get back to Boston."

"And come back to me." He smiled, liking the way that sounded. Coming back to her. He'd never had anyone to come back to, nothing except those walls he called a home in Vegas.

"Definitely coming back to you. _**For**_ you. And I'm not sure I'd be able to let you go again."

"I'm not sure I'd ever want you to."

That next morning, everyone was quiet. Ben had left before everyone else, flying back to Dallas with his wife. Everyone seemed to walk on eggshells around Jon and Whitney, knowing this goodbye was going to be the hardest on them. Standing in the airport, those last few moments were the quietest of all. Jon slid her backpack off his shoulders, handing it to her. Whitney put it on silently, tugging on the sleeves of his jacket she was wearing again, struggling with attempting not to cry.

"Call me when you land?" she asked, tears caught in her throat.

"You better know it, dollface. Take care of my jacket yeah?" he smiled, seeing the sleeves drowning her arms. She nodded, tears finally beginning to fall.

"Take care of yourself too." Jon wiped away a few of her tears, leaning down for one last kiss.

"Go before I jump in your damn suitcase." he laughed, waving until he couldn't see her anymore. Sighing, he turned, walking back slowly to his best friends, already counting down until he could see her again.


	8. Getting Used to Missing You

Jon was spending his Sunday night at the gym, unable to sleep off his jet lag like Joe and Colby. He just couldn't get comfortable in bed, and he knew no one would believe him if he blamed it on the mattress. She'd barely been gone less than a day, but he was having a hard time already. Whitney had called him late the night before, unable to talk long, already at their first show. Jon couldn't believe how much he missed that woman already, wondering how he was going to get through the rest of the month. He'd had the gym to himself for over an hour, suddenly getting the feeling like that had changed. Turning quickly, Randy Orton smiled back at him.

"Whoa. I mean no harm. Was actually looking for you, though. I just got through with Steph and Trips." Jon's brows furrowed, unsure if he was going to end up liking what Randy was going to tell him.

"They said the Universe is buzzing about our match Monday night. They want to include us and Whitney in a story line, a mini feud until Money in the Bank."

"But you're not in my match." Randy was going to be in the title match with Joe, Jon was only in the contract match. Even though he had another chance to fight Colby, it irked him from time to time that Joe got the push over his brothers. The only thing that kept him grounded was the adoration from his fans, the ones that even still wore _**'Explicit Mox Violence'** _shirts to WWE events.

"Its only supposed to last until the shows before the event. Plus, if you're fighting with me, how can you get to the Authority's precious Rollins? They just want me to say the only reason you beat me is because she was out there." Randy smirked, seeing Jon thinking things over. Jon was busy thinking about Monday night, hearing the crowd go wild when she came out, blowing kisses to him from the ramp.

"I told them I'd talk to you about it, I didn't tell them about you dating though." Jon's eyes went wide; they hadn't told anyone they were dating yet, except for Joe and Colby, who were already taking bets on different aspects of a future wedding.

"It's obvious, Ambrose. You two look good together though."

"I miss her already. She'd get a kick outta being in an official story."

"And it would give her a valid reason to come ringside with you." Jon stiffened at that thought, not so keen on the idea of having Whitney at ringside during a ladder match, six wrestlers flying around, and possibly hurting her.

"I'm sure Jerry's willing to watch over her again. He really seemed to like her."

"Yeah cause she adores him. You know how King likes his ego being fluffed."

"So, is it cool?"

"I think it would be alright. Just watch your mouth, Orton. You'll be talking about my **girlfriend.**" Jon smiled, sending a half assed dirty look Randy's way. He couldn't wait to tell Whitney.

Walking into RAW that next night, Jon was feeling a lot better about the situation. He could still hear her voice when she called that night, exhausted from a show, falling asleep on the phone, still amped about what he was telling her. The show was still about an hour away, he was heading to his locker room when he heard a different voice, one that didn't make him so happy.

"Well well well. Look who's _all alone_."

"Yeah, I was **hoping** for that, but yet, here you are."

"Awh, Dean, don't be that way. You know you don't wanna be mean to me."

"I don't wanna be _around_ you. Period."

"I see she's not with you." Jon spun to face Renee, eyes cold as ice.

"We may be in Canada tonight, but don't you even fucking start with your head bitch attitude, Renee. You can be petty as hell, you know that? I told you time and time again, I don't love you, there's nothing between us anymore, and then you go and do something childish like _throw water?_"

"I have no idea-"

"Save it, Barbie. I don't want to be around you unless it's something for the show. You're such a bitch. Hell, you weren't even that good of a lay." Huffing off, Jon felt a little accomplished, hoping she'd stay away from him, and hopefully Whitney when she got back. He spent the rest of his time getting ready for Randy, working on his best protective boyfriend act, not so much of an act anymore.

Their match was the top of hour two, Jon and Randy waiting in Gorilla together, watching the monitors. The commentary team was discussing their match last week, and arguing over just how much of a distraction Whitney was. Randy's music started up, and the Viper stomped down the ramp, grabbing a mic and popping his jaw, sneering at the Titan Tron.

**_"Ambrose! You think you got the best of me last week? You got lucky. First you try and punk me out backstage, and then you try and get one over here in the ring while that little Pop Tart rock star wanna be serves as a distraction. Well, your little girlfriend isn't here tonight, is she, Dean?"_**

Jon's music roared up, and he was handed a mic as he walked through the entrance. Standing there in his signature jeans and grey tank, hair all wet and curly, he stared down the ramp at Orton.

"Randy Orton. Randall, dude. First, you think you had a _chance_ with Whitney Ryan? She's got more charisma in her pinky than you do in that robot body of yours. Don't be mad that she found herself in the arms of a **real** man. I didn't know she was gonna come down to ringside last Monday, but I wouldn't have needed her to kick your ass." Jon ended it with a wicked smirk, making the crowd roar.

**"Prove it then. Rematch, tonight. I'll kick your ass some more. Hopefully your girl is watching, and she'll see how much better I am than you, and will see how much better I could treat her."** Jon was fuming, and he wasn't even sure how much of it was scripted at that point.

"She's an Ambrose girl, Randy. She likes a _man_. She likes **me**. Not a bag of empty threats like you." Dropping the mic, Dean's music restarted, guiding him down to the ring, Randy catching him as soon as the bell rang. Both men were intent on kicking the holy hell out of each other, Dean looking like he'd finally take the upper hand, when Seth appeared, swinging a chair, clipping Dean in the shoulder.

**"Fuck!"** Jon whined. It may not have hit him as hard as it was supposed to look, but it didn't actually feel like a massage, either. The match was called, another DQ, this time in Jon's favor.

**XxX**

He'd barely dragged himself into the shower, his bruised and aching body thanking him for it once he found himself under the steamy water. Pulling on a pair of pajama pants, he sent Whitney a text, wondering if she was still awake. Receiving no answer, he almost gave up until his laptop dinged with a Skype call.

_"Well hi there, handsome. Oh my gosh, are you okay?!"_ he laughed, forgetting about the highly visible ice pack he'd made himself.

"Fine, babygirl. Colby played little rough tonight with a chair, and nicked my bad shoulder." He didn't even feel it now, focusing just on how she looked then. His heart was thumping a little faster, the first time he'd gotten to see her in almost two days.

"Did you guys just get off stage? You look exhausted." Her hair was wild, held back by a thin black headband, her face red and sweaty.

_"Yeah. We're about to watch RAW. Had to DVR it while we were performing." _Whitney missed him something awful, wishing she was there taking care of him, rather than hours away in a cramped hotel room. The adrenaline started wearing off, Whitney catching him yawning.

_"Get some rest handsome. You look sleepy."_

"But I want my teddy bear." he whined, carrying the computer to his bed, lying down.

_"Your teddy bear will be there soon enough."_ She replied, shaking her head, Jon noticing a small cut on her chin, barely oozing blood.

"Baby, you're bleeding." Whitney rubbed at her chin, shrugging at the small trails of blood on her hand. Realization hit Jon like a ton of bricks. He never thought anything about seeing his own blood, but here she was with what amounted to a papercut on her chin, and he was ready to give someone a beat down.

_"Probably from crowd surfing."_ she giggled, and he raised an eyebrow. Somehow, the thought of what she told him intrigued and terrified him.

"And they call **me** a lunatic. I'll talk to you later, baby."

_"Night, good lookin'." _Whitney replied, blowing him a kiss before signing off. Jon put his laptop away, wishing he could make the next few weeks go by faster.

A lot of people figured that Whitney Ryan was just another name in Jon's book, that with her gone now, he'd find another conquest. But for those that knew him better, they could see how Whitney Ryan had actually changed him a bit, just by being herself. Jon himself just kept counting down the days until his Sunshine was back.


	9. Surprise

**AUTHORS NOTE: I really wish the words in my head would come out better. I can think this up, but sometimes it comes out funny when I type it out. Blah! Thank you to all of you that continue to read, and to my reviewers YOU KNOW I LOVE YOU!**

* * *

Running off the stage after their encore, it was easy to say that Whitney was tired. _Exhausted,_ was a better term to use. The last three weeks had been rough, though she wasn't sure how much of it was the hectic schedule, and how much of it was the lack of time with her boyfriend. They'd been struggling to find time to talk to each other, she could tell he missed her too. The band didn't have the money to stay in a hotel, using their old RV to get from city to city. Flopping down on one of the couches, Whitney was almost asleep when her phone buzzed on the table.

"Jesus, **already!?**" she whined, ready to reject the call, when she looked at the Caller ID. _**WWE Corporate Offices.**_

"Hello?" she answered, a little afraid to hear what they wanted. Money in the bank was still a week away.

_"Whitney? It's Stephanie McMahon. I hope I didn't wake you." _Looking at her watch, it was already after midnight, Whitney sure her voice already sounded scratchy and strained.

"Oh! No. We actually just got off stage. Our last show until Money in the Bank!"

_"Which is what I wanted to talk to you about. You know you've been included in a work between Dean Ambrose and Randy Orton. The Universe seems to really love you and Dean together." _Whitney blushed, not knowing if Stephanie knew just how much she loved her and Dean together too, though she wouldn't mention it, in case it got Jon in trouble.

"That's insane!" she giggled, relaxing a bit when Stephanie laughed too.

_"That being said, since they're not in the same match at the event, we need to end their feud before the show. How would you feel about coming in early? I'd love to have you here for Smackdown Tuesday for taping." _

"That sounds amazing, Stephanie! Of course!" Getting an extra week to spend with Jon was an offer she couldn't refuse.

_"Great. We'll get your flight information set up right away." _

She wasn't sure how they did it, but the band managed to check into their hotel Monday afternoon, no one besides Hunter and Stephanie knowing they were in town. Stephanie had told the band they could come backstage for RAW that evening if they wanted to. Whitney sat on the edge of her bed, scrolling through pictures on her phone, landing on one in particular someone had taken of her and Jon, cuddled up and napping on the couch. Her focus was so centered on her phone, she never saw Ben enter the room.

"You should go tonight."

"What?" she asked him, completely caught off guard.

"To RAW tonight. Surprise him there. You both deserve some time alone."

"He _won't_ be alone though, Benny. Joe and Colby will be there too. As will the rest of the roster." Ben sat beside her on the bed, nudging her side.

"So? I'm sure it wouldn't take much before you two _were_ alone." he waggled his eyebrows, Whitney pushing him over on the bed.

"**Go.** I know how much he means to you, and you to him. Quit doubting yourself, and go see your man."

**XxX**

Taking Ben's advice, Whitney took a deep breath, slipping the backstage pass lanyard around her neck, walking into the arena. She wanted to surprise Jon, keeping a keen eye out for that dark reddish blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Turning a corner, she spotted two people she'd been missing almost as much. Colby and Nikki both had their backs turned to her, talking just before the catering table. Whitney smirked, walking slowly past the pair, knowing she'd been busted when she heard Colby's laugh.

"No **fuckin'** way. When did you get here?!" he called out, tugging her into a hug before Nikki could steal her away.

"Just a couple of hours ago. No one even knows we're here except for Hunter and Stephanie, and well, now, you guys."

"It'll be easy to surprise Dean. He's busy with John right now. They're in a match tonight with Seth and Randy." Nikki replied, pointing at Colby.

"_Eww._ You're a bad guy. Meanie." Whitney playfully punched Colby's arm, giggling when he pulled her into another hug, resting his arm around her shoulders

"We should go and see Joe right now, cause we probably won't see much of you once Jon finds out you're here." Colby teased, waggling his eyebrows. They said goodbye to Nikki, heading towards their shared locker room. Colby sent Joe a text, ensuring he was alone before stepping into the room.

"Look what I found outside." He moved out of the way, revealing Whitney to Joe, who's deep laugh reverberated off the walls.

"You little creeper. How come you didn't say you were coming in earlier!?"

"And ruin this reaction? _Yeah_. **Right**." she laughed at the face Joe made at her reply, squealing when he picked her up, twirling her around a bit.

"I'm glad you're back. He's really been missing you."

"I've been missing him too."

She was able to spend the rest of the show with him, both of them catching each other up on the past month. Joe told her stories from back when he first met Jon, their days of wrestling together, with Colby too at FCW. Whitney wondered about how much she'd have to bribe him with to grow his hair back out again, or even to dye it pink again. Joe grew silent suddenly, hearing Colby and Jon come down the hall towards their room. He helped Whitney hide behind him, both of them ready to surprise him.

Hearing his voice brought the butterflies back. It sounded so much better when it wasn't coming through a speaker. Peeking out from around Joe, she could see his back turned to her, rifling through his bag on the couch. Tiptoeing quietly, she made her way to the couch, flopping down beside his bag.

"Whatcha lookin' for?" Jon grinned at the sound of her voice, eyes widening the second he turned and saw her there. In an instant she was off the cushion and in his arms, swallowed up in a warm bear hug.

"Gross. Now I'm all sweaty too."

"Don't pretend you don't like it. _Fuckin' missed you, baby_." Those four words meant the world to her, especially coming from the man holding her. They made their way back to the hotel, the wrestlers asking tons of questions about the past three weeks she'd been away. Arriving at the hotel, Jon was quick to pull Whitney's bags from the pile, taking them with him.

"What? Like **hell** I'm sleeping without my teddy bear tonight. Do you even know how hard it was sleeping without you next to me these last few weeks? " he whispered to her, Whitney just smiling, taking his hand.

"I have an idea." she replied, squeezing his hand a little tighter.

**XxX**

Heading into Smackdown that next afternoon, everyone could see the change in Jon. He was nothing but smiles, almost always attached to Whitney, who her brothers noticed seemed a lot happier too. They'd been together a month, physically together less than ten days, but their feelings were obvious to anyone that saw them. Jon was waiting for her to come out of the bathroom, the two of them getting ready to head out to the ring, one last battle with Randy Orton. Whitney stepped out in jeans and a black t-shirt, the front reading "I'm a Dean Ambrose girl".

"Deacon had it made for me after what you said. I think it works."

"Damn right it does. So does this." he replied, pulling her close for a kiss. They watched the monitors in Gorilla as Randy made his way to the ring, mic in hand, already fuming.

**"Ambrose, this ends _tonight_! You got lucky the other night on RAW. After tonight, you may not even make it to Money in the Bank!"**

"Ready, dollface?" Jon asked, kissing the top of her head.

"Heck yeah." His entrance music roared through the speakers, almost able to drown out the cheers from the crowd. Jon took her hand, the two of them walking out on the ramp together, Whitney in awe at how the cheering only intensified.

"Kick his ass, baby."

"You just like it when I flex my muscles. But just for you, I'll manage to do both." he grinned. Whitney smacked his butt as he approached ringside, blowing him a kiss when he handed her his jacket. Yeah. He missed her.


	10. Money in the Bank

**Author's Note: Shh, no one tell, but I played hooky from work this morning. I should be practicing guitar, but I get so immersed in writing! Should I have made this chapter shorter?**

* * *

She was a cute drunk, he had to give her that. They'd spent the evening closing down a local bar, swapping stories, building on their family dynamic. Luckily, they were close enough to the hotel to walk, none of them in any condition to drive. Jon himself was barely more than tipsy, spending the majority of his evening watching his girlfriend try and keep up with her big brothers. Whitney held tightly to his hand as they walked down the street, entranced by the sharpness of his jaw every time he took a drag from his cigarette.

Getting back to their room, it took little convincing to get Whitney into sleep clothes, Jon sure that her skinny jeans and form fitting tee shirt wouldn't be that comfortable come morning. Handing her one of his shirts and a pair of her pajama pants, he ushered her into the bathroom while he changed himself. He smiled, seeing her coming back in the room, her body swallowed in faded black cotton. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Jon held her by her hips, a tipsy smile still on her face.

"I'll never figure out what I did to get this lucky, but I'm sure as hell glad I did it."

The next morning was rainy and dark, a perfect day to sleep in late and nurse their hangovers. The band disappeared for rehearsals, leaving the wrestlers to their own devices. Joe stretched out on the sofa, covering his eyes, too awake to sleep, but too tired to be productive.

"There's no way in hell I'm making to the gym at all today." Joe whined in Jon's direction, cocking an eyebrow at the lack of response he'd been given. Jon's face was washed in the glow of his laptop, forehead scrunched, obviously unhappy with whatever he was seeing. Joe moved his arm, staring straight at his little brother, trying to figure him out. Jon never budged though, spare his finger, scrolling the page up and down.

"Do you get the feeling we walked in on something?" Colby's voice cut the silence, walking into the room, Whitney hot on his heels. He'd been the only one in any mood to get lunch, running into the singer on her way back to the hotel. Joe shot the pair a look, turning his gaze back on Jon, who had yet to even acknowledge the pair coming into the door. Whitney set the food on the table, crawling into Jon's lap. He made no sound, only placing his hand on her hip, fingers digging into flesh, almost as if he was scared she'd leave.

"**Talk to me.**" she whispered, pushing his hair away from his face. Jon wouldn't look at her though, barely tilting his head towards the screen.

It was a tabloid article, a few paparazzi caught their group walking home from the bar. At first, she couldn't understand the source of his anger, until she noticed small oddities. All seven of them had been out drinking, why were there only pictures of the two of them? There was no denying she was drunk in the photos, her eyes bloodshot and glassy.

"You really don't _believe_ that garbage, do you, babe?" Whitney asked him, taking the computer away from him, passing it to Colby, who scanned the page, passing it to Joe, who did the same, shutting the lid, keeping it away from Jon, who was holding his head in his hands.

"What if they're **right,** huh? What if I _am_ just a bad influence on you? What if I **hurt** you? I'm not good enough for you, heaven knows. But what if they're right, and I end up hurting you while trying to escape my demons?" Whitney kissed him softly, using her thumb to wipe away his tears.

"Baby, we all have demons. Its just how we learn to cope with them. You are nothing but _amazing_ to me, Jon Good. You're kind of stuck with me, whether you like it or not." He smiled just a twinge, his face turning serious again.

"But you're always _so happy_. What demons could you possibly have?" She sighed at his response, knowing she'd finally have to explain herself. Whitney had been keeping a secret from all of them, hoping she'd never have to tell them, at least not so soon. Taking his hand, she brought his fingertips to her wrists, underneath the bracelets that until then, Jon hadn't realized she always wore.

"Darlin', no. Tell me that's not what I think that is." Jon pleaded, but Whitney remained silent, removing her bracelets, exposing the skin beneath. They looked like a tally marks on a chalkboard. Some white and fading, others still a pale pink. He ran his thumb across the raised skin, Whitney trying to keep the tears at bay.

"My parents divorced before my second birthday, and I lived with my dad. We were best friends. He passed away when I was 15. The night of his funeral was the first time I did it. Of course, I had to move in with my mom, who made it painfully obvious she didn't want me there, actually she didn't want me at all. By 17, I stopped caring how deep I was going. It was Ben that found out first; he saved my life one afternoon when I didn't meet up with him to study. It stopped for a while, but not for good."

"When was the last time?" Colby mumbled, knowing she could hear him in the deafening silence.

"Six months back. We were reading some of the reviews from one of our shows. People calling us talent-less. People saying I was too fat, too ugly to front a band. Saying we'd only make it if I slept my way there." Tears were flowing freely now, Whitney hiding her face in Jon's neck, who rocked her slowly.

"We've got each other now, sweetheart. And I don't plan on letting that fact change anytime soon."

Lying in bed that night, Jon couldn't take his eyes off his girlfriend. His bubbly, gorgeous, incredibly tough girlfriend.

"What's the matter, handsome?" she asked him, scooting closer, into his arms.

"The matter, is you're so _god damned perfect_, and you can't see it." What started as a peck on the lips, quickly got heated, hands roaming, Jon rolling her on top of him.

"Do you want to stop?" he paused, making sure both of them were thinking the same thing. Whitney smiled, removing her shirt, leaning back down to kiss him. There was no way she wanted to stop now.

**XxX**

She'd been backstage for a few shows now, but being backstage for a pay per view was definite different ball game. It was weird, not seeing Colby or Joe in Jon's locker room, though Jon was surely enjoying the privacy he had with his girlfriend.

"Lovin' the view there, Sunshine." he quipped, Whitney standing at the mirror, getting ready for their performance later in the evening, in just a baggy tee shirt and lacy blue boy-short underwear.

"Please tell me you're changing tops too. Or should I just go ahead and lock the door?"

"Don't you have a match to get ready for?" She countered, smiling as he wrapped her up in his arms, dotting her neck, grumbling about having to leave her.

He'd asked her not to join him at ringside, worried about her safety. Whitney sat alone in the room, watching him enter walk down the ramp, feeding off the cheers from the fans. He and Colby were evenly matched, knowing each other very well after all their years in different organizations together. Gnawing the lipstick off her lips, her nerves felt like stones in her throat, worrying about both of them on the top of the ladder. She could see the ladder shaking, the two best friends trading blows. Her breath was caught, watching Jon fall to the ground, knowing she needed to get to him.

Joe was a few doors down from Jon's room, watching their match while prepping for his own. He saw the way Jon fell, saw the way his shoulder twisted. Joe left his room just in time to see Whitney, tears ruining her makeup, getting ready to run out to ringside. Catching her by the waist, he spun her into his chest, holding her tight.

"I need to get to him, Joe. He's hurt."

"You can't go out there now, sweetheart. It's almost over, and they'll take him to the trainers. We'll go to him then."

True to his word, right after the match, they made their way to the trainer's room, Jon's filthy mouth already audible over anyone else's voices. He refused to listen to anyone, begging them to just tape his shoulder, get him out of there. Colby was standing close to the door, the first to spot Joe and Whitney.

"Whit, I'm sorry. We'd practiced that fall a _**million**_ times. His foot got stuck, and it all went to shit." she grabbed his hand, silently telling him it would be alright. She knew he would never intentionally hurt his brother. Poking her way through the crowd, she finally made it to Jon, sitting behind him on the edge of the table. Her fingers gentle on his back, Whitney was able to calm him down, coaxing him to lie back, head in her lap.

"Baby, relax. Let the docs look at you." His eyes were glued to hers, focusing on the way her fingers felt in his sweaty hair. The rest of the room could only watch, and realize what Joe and Colby knew. Even though they'd only been together a month, the bond that Whitney Ryan had with Jonathan Good was something people chased their whole lives.


	11. Let's Be Alone Together

**Author's Note: Yup, this is going to be one of those fluffy filler chapters. My original idea for this space went out the window, and for some reason, this whole chapter gave me hell. I deleted I don't even know how many drafts. Don't hate this too much, I'll try and get back into the regular swing of things as soon as possible! :)**

**To my reviewers/followers: Have I said I love you guys recently?**

* * *

"Darlin, I figured you'd be sleeping."

"Not that tired."

"No offense, baby, but that's _bullshit_. You've been up as long as I have, probably longer, and I'm damn tired, so you've got to be exhausted." It was close to midnight, Jon just getting in from a busy day of meetings and training. He'd been eager to get back to their room, hopefully finding her curled up in their bed, waiting for him to cuddle her close. To be truthful, Whitney was in their bed, but instead of sleeping, she was working, journal in her lap, her computer playing softly beside her. She'd taken to wearing his shirts, not that he minded one bit, one of his old FCW shirts hanging off one of her shoulders. Even with her glasses on, it was easy for Jon to see just how sleepy she really was.

"How's your shoulder?" Jon smiled, sitting on the edge of the bed, sliding out of his shoes and jeans. She was good at trying to change the subject, but he wasn't about to let her off the hook that easily.

"Better. Finally got some decent pills for it. Doc says a couple weeks, I'll be fine." trying to hide the pain he felt sliding off his shirt, doing his best to mind the tape holding his shoulder straight. Whitney slowly began putting her things away, letting a small yawn slip.

"Caught you."

"Okay. Maybe I'm a **little** tired." Jon rolled his eyes, watching her place her glasses and phone on the nightstand.

"Good thing, cause I've been told I make a really good pillow. Get your cute self over here." Careful to not jostle him too much, Whitney crawled in beside him.

"I'm not made of glass, Sunshine. It's okay to not walk on eggshells."

"I know, I just don't like seeing you hurt like this."

"You know this won't be the last time. It's part of the job."

"Yeah. But it's part of my job to take care of you as best I can." She had him beat there. It was a new feeling, having someone being concerned about his well being. Sure, he had Joe and Colby, but that wasn't the same, coming home to someone who would move the world to make sure he was alright. Jon was about to reply, but realized it would fall on deaf ears. In the midst of his thoughts, Whitney had fallen fast asleep on his chest. Twirling her hair within his fingers, he let sleep slowly over take him.

He woke up alone in bed, at least he originally thought so. His chest was cool, missing the usual warmth of her head, ear next to his heart. Turning his head, he discovered he wasn't alone after all. Curled up in a ball, locks of auburn hair sticking out from under the comforter, Whitney slept beside him, somehow rolling away from him in the night. Sunlight was beaming through their window, the first nice day in a while. His mind began brewing up an idea, a date for the two of them, something they really hadn't had since the night before her birthday. Minding his shoulder, Jon carefully began peeling the comforter away from her.

"_No. Cold._" Smirking to himself, he continued to pull.

"It wouldn't be cold if you weren't all the way over there, honey." he mumbled, waiting for her to inch closer to his warmth. Whitney's eyes opened slowly, a sleepy smile on her lips.

"Let's go out today. Just me and you." he told her, laughing quietly as she nodded, burying her face in his chest, still trying to wake up. Pulling away from him a bit, Whitney stretched for a kiss, which quickly got heated. Jon wrapped his arms around her, rolling her on top of him, deepening the kiss when she gasped in surprise.

"I could get used to waking up like this." she giggled when they parted, her hands planted on his chest, his resting on her bum.

"Anything for my girl. How's about we start our day with a shower?" he enticed, wiggling his eyebrows, flashing those electric blues. With a dirty grin of her own, Whitney slid off his lap, taking his hand once he sat up. Today was definitely going to be a good day.

A lot of people said they did things backwards, falling for each other when they barely knew each other's name, but neither of them ever really cared what people said. Somehow, they managed to spend the entire day together, without all their brothers, and without the stresses of work. Grabbing dinner at a local Italian restaurant, Jon still couldn't shake the thoughts that she would be leaving him again. Every moment they spent together made it that much harder for him to let her go.

"I hate this." he stated, thinking out loud.

"What, the ravioli? You said you liked it." Whitney looked over at his plate, doe eyes in full effect. Jon shook his head, trying not to laugh, forgetting his girlfriend could be so dense.

"No sugar, not the food, it's great. I was just thinking, you're about to be leaving me. **_Again_**. I hate it."

"We just need to make a plan. Even if it's just for a weekend or something, we'll have to find ways to meet up with each other, keep the distance from being too much."

"Look at Miss Practical." Jon teased, winking. Whitney rolled her eyes, twirling spaghetti on her fork.

"I think we'll be done with our next set of shows before the end of the month. Maybe I could fly in before Battleground?"

"The faster you get back to me, baby doll, the better. You know, Joe and Colby have had a blast these past few weeks, teasing the hell outta me. I didn't know I had it in me, missing someone so much. I didn't know it could hurt so much."

"Can we not talk about being apart right now? I just wanna enjoy this." Picking up his own, Jon nodded.

"I can drink to that."


	12. Feels Like Home

**Author's Note: So this chapter was going to be out like yesterday, but I hated what I had written, and then deleted it all. I tend to do that a lot. You might be able to tell at the end, where I was trying to write while watching Battleground. Someone needs to remind me to stop that crap :) **

**To my reviewers/followers: I always say this, but it amazes me everytime I get another email. You guys rock! I trust you guys to tell me if it ain't going well!**

**on another note: why do my scene breaks never seem to make it to post? I put them in during editing, and yet they're never there by the time I save?!**

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Most people spend their Saturday nights out drinking, hooking up, and letting loose. Whitney Ryan was spending her Saturday night doing laundry at some random 24 hour laundromat, separating clothes she'd be taking with her, back to see Jon. It had been a long month, to her it felt ages longer than the last time they were apart. She knew he'd be quick to notice the changes in her since they'd last been together. Her hair was now a dirty blonde, closer to her natural color. Long days and hard nights had thinned her already small frame a bit, and she could already hear him now talk about taking her to the gym with him.

Placing another set of quarters in the washer, Whitney pulled out her phone, looking at the calendar. She'd be on a plane the next afternoon, ready to see everyone. Nikki and Brie had planned a get together, the Bellas always looking for a reason to party. Not long after Battleground, Whitney and her 'brothers' had plans to head back to Dallas, taking some time to relax after all this craziness. She wondered to herself if Jon would like Dallas, if the Ohio boy could handle the Texas summer heat.

About to put her phone away, a message appeared on it, a FaceTime from the man she was just thinking about. Jon sat on his bed, dressed in just a pair of black basketball shorts, his hair damp from showering.

_"I was hoping you'd be awake. Whatcha up to, gorgeous?"_

"Far from gorgeous, but thank you, honey. Just washing clothes. Gettin' ready to go see my boyfriend."

_"The lucky bastard."_ Jon laughed, taking in her appearance, however grainy it was. Sitting on top of a washing machine, in overalls and a white tee, she looked so tiny, almost breakable.

"I still can't believe the Bellas are throwing a damn party."

_"That's the girls for ya. But, you've become pretty popular around here, in case you haven't noticed."_ Whitney shrugged, not knowing how to deal with knowing that people she watched on television just months ago were now considering her a friend. Catching Jon let a small yawn slip, she smiled.

"Prolly cause I keep your crazy ass in line. Get some rest, babe. Tomorrow's a big day!"

_"Don't I know it. Hurry up, two PM. Bye, dollface."_ She blew him a kiss, ending the call.

It took some wrangling, but somehow, Jon was able to pick her up from the airport alone, albeit with Joe and Colby calling dibs on hanging out with them before the party. Waiting against the window, he could barely see the plane taxiing to the terminal, his heart in his throat. He'd been dreaming of this day since the night he said goodbye to her last, and she still gave him butterflies. As the stream of people de-boarding began to come through, Jon placed his aviators atop his head, straining to see his short girlfriend in the mass of people strolling by him. Finally spotting her, he noticed how much she'd changed. Of course, he'd miss the red, but the blonde gave her pale skin a little more color. One thing he didn't miss, is the tired look on her face. Whitney spotted him, standing there in an Ohio State shirt and faded jeans, she grinned. Not having the energy to run to him, his longer legs made the stride over to her. Opening his arms, she melted into them, Jon burying his face in her hair.

"Miss me much?" Whitney giggled, taking his free hand when he took her bag, wakling out of the airport. Jon just smiled, knowing they both knew the answer to that. Putting her suitcase and backpack in the trunk, Jon opened the passenger side door of his rented Jeep, helping her in.

"**_Hey._**" he paused before closing the door, letting her turn in the seat to look at him fully. With her contacts in, he could see the rings of sleepless nights under her eyes. Cupping her cheeks with his hands, thumbs running across those same circles, Jon pulled her in for a kiss.

"I might have missed you a _little_ bit. Now, come on. Let's have some fun tonight."

After a late lunch with the other members of the Shield, Jon had hung around with them, letting Whitney head back to their room to shower, and get ready for the party. Walking back into the room, he could hear the radio on some local country station, a soft voice accompanying the music.

"Whit, sugar, you almost ready-**whoa**." In the two months they'd been together, Jon had seen her in a ton of outfits, in nothing at all, and yet, she still took his breath away. Standing there in their shared bathroom, on tiptoe, trying to hang up a damp towel. Bright white shorts gave him the perfect view of her behind, a subject in which he already had a hard time looking away. Pairing that with the same Vans she was wearing the night they met, and an equally blue tank top, hair curling around her shoulders, Jon considered skipping the party altogether.

"Well don't you look amazing."

"I could say the same for you, handsome. Even if you are in a _Bengals_ cap." Jon wrapped her in his arms, tickling her sides.

"Is this gonna be our first fight? About _**football**_teams?"

"If you admit the Cowboys are better, than we won't have a fight." Raising an eyebrow, Jon shook his head in laughter. Giving her a pat on the butt, Jon let her exit the door first.

"Let's go, smartass."

The party was at one of the SuperStars newest homes, though Whitney hadn't been able to catch the name. It seemed like half the roster had made it, mingling throughout the first floor of the home. Jon had left her side, catching up with a few of his friends from NXT. Heading into the kitchen to look for a drink, Whitney saw the pair who'd kicked this plan into gear.

"Bout time you get here, short stuff."

"Hey! I'm as tall as AJ!" Whitney feigned being upset, but smiled, grabbing Brie and Nikki for a big hug. The girls had been in contact with her almost as much as Colby and Joe, the girls becoming like sisters she never had. Brie handed her a beer, Whitney sipping it slowly as her eyes scanned the crowd. Some of the group, like the Bellas and the Shield, she knew. Others, she recognized from NXT, though she'd never officially met them.

"Friends of friends. You know no one can turn down a party." Nikki laughed, watching the way the smaller woman's eyes gazed from person to person. She could see Jon on the balcony, smoking and talking to Jack Swagger. Whitney had met him at Money In the Bank, the two of them playfully arguing over the Texas and Oklahoma rivalry.

The night progressed, Whitney loosening up a little bit at a time. She felt at home with them, much more than the home she usually felt with her band mates. They had been through everything with her, but right then, she definitely needed to hear another one of Zack Ryder's corny jokes, over hearing Ben gripe one more time about missing home, and missing his wife. Feeling a little tired, Whitney found an empty love seat next to Brie, who was talking with her husband, Daniel, Natalya, and her husband, Tyson Kidd.

"So _you're_ the one that's got Dean all flustered! **Damn**, Ambrose has a good taste in women." Tyson laughed, earning a nudge from his wife. Her pout was short lived as he kissed it away. Whitney herself was beginning to feel like a fifth wheel, about to get up, when something crash landed in her lap. Placing his Bengals cap on her head, Jon laid his head in her lap, lying on his side, looking at the other two couples. Whitney just shook her head, much as he had done earlier, letting her fingers roam through his hair.

"You two are so cute, it's sickening. You know that?" Colby, who had been with Jon, snapped a picture of the pair, laughing at his best friend's antics. Jon flipped him off with the most gracious smile he could muster, planting a kiss on his girlfriend's knee. Usually Jon would bristle at being called 'cute'. But right then, looking up at her with his cap on backwards, fingers massaging his scalp, he would settle for cute, as long as she was there with him.


	13. Dangerous Divas

**AUTHORS NOTE: Oh yeah, it happened. Two chapters in a day! This one went super long, and I'll have to save some of the things I wanted to put in this chapter into the next one. Oh bother. :)**

**Thanks to all of you that have followed/reviewed, I hope you're still liking this story!**

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They'd arrived in Tampa a few days early, setting up for Battleground. It was safe to say that everyone was a little anxious, especially the three former members of the Shield. This would be only their second time going solo, building their characters a little more each time. Jon found himself at the gym almost every morning, getting back in time to find her sneaking back in with breakfast for the two of them. He thought about taking her with him, worrying about how thin and tired she looked lately, but when he woke up, seeing her all balled up in her side of the comforter, he didn't have the heart to wake her.

Coming back that morning, he noticed her already dressed, drinking a cup of coffee.

"Morning, sleepyhead. Where are you off to this morning?" he asked her, waiting for her to set the drink down before wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her onto the bed with him.

"Paige invited me to come down and watch her and AJ practice in the ring." AJ had only been back a little while, the new Divas champ got along great with her pint-sized counterpart.

"Look at the little Diva in training!" he teased, tickling her sides, making her curl up in a ball and clutch as his arms.

"Babe, _stop!_ I'm not training for anything. I just wanna go and see." Letting go of her sides, Jon flopped back first on the mattress, Whitney sitting up, and sitting cross legged beside him. Tracing her calf with his fingers, Jon looked up at her, blue eyes shining.

"Baby, what happened?"

"What do you mean?" she asked, but it was evident in her movements, she knew damn well what he was talking about.

"You seem so different these past few days. I haven't even heard you mention the guys, and no offense, sugar, but you don't look too healthy about now." He closed his eyes, preparing for the slap, the gasp of shock, but it never came. Instead, Whitney pulled at the hem of her tank top, trying to decide whether to avoid it altogether, or come clean.

_**"Talk to me."** _he whispered, reminding her of the night they came clean about their past demons, moving to where his head was in her lap again. Her bottom lip was trembling, eyes squinched shut as she began.

"It's just been a lot. Money in the Bank was our biggest moment, and it was so awesome. But now we have to work _even harder_ to top that. It's been nothing but early mornings and late nights, trying to figure out where we can scrimp a meal or take a nap. We've been so bitchy at each other, I feel like I'm losing my brothers." Tears fell from her eyes to Jon's cheeks, as he sat up to let her cry onto his shoulder. He should have seen it coming. Being on the road this much does things to people, especially when it's just a tight group night after night. Kissing her shoulder, Jon rocked her a bit until the crying stopped.

"You'll be alright. You're too damn tough not to be. Now, let's get you cleaned up before Miss Paige gets here, and tries to kill me cause you're cryin'." Nodding, she pulled away, letting Jon lead her into the bathroom, storming her face with kisses.

Being ringside without Jon, Colby, or Joe, was a weird feeling for Whitney. They'd entered from beside the ramp, the pyrotechnics team getting the stage ready for Sunday. She was glad she wasn't alone, Nikki deciding to come and join her.

"Where's Brie?" Nikki sighed, straightening the flatbill cap on her head.

"At home. They still haven't worked out her return." Nikki missed her sister being there a lot, the girls trying their best to keep her mind off just how much. Whitney watched in amazement as AJ nailed Paige with the Shining Wizard.

"Like that, didya? I can teach you one day." AJ noticed the singer's rapt attention to the actions in the ring.

"That would be awesome! Thank you, AJ!" Whitney's excitement was short lived though, Nikki's shoulder nudge alerting her to trouble on the horizon. Dressed to kill in a knee length skirt and halter top, exposing her slim waist, Renee Young was on her way down to the ring.

"Hurricane Renee strikes again." Nikki mumbled, Whitney trying to hide her laughter. Paige and AJ either didn't see, or tried not to let it bother them, continuing on with their match. Whitney tried to play coy, hoping the blonde would go away, but was thwarted when Renee blocked her view.

"Awh, it's cute. You're trying to look like me, but honey, he will _**never** _love you like he loves me." Nikki made a gagging noise behind Whitney, Renee's sneer almost as funny as Nikki's antics.

"Well, I bet not, cause he _**never**_ loved you, Renee. He just used you."

"What makes you think **you're** so special?" Renee's face was blotched in anger, hands glued to her hips.

"Because, I'm not you. I didn't sleep with him so he'd love me." It was killing Whitney not to reach out and slap her, but she knew that's exactly what Renee wanted. If the singer hit her, she and Jon both would suffer the consequences. Smiling vindictively, the commentator whipped her ponytail off her shoulders.

"Keep telling yourself that, little girl. You'll learn, soon enough." Sauntering away, Whitney exhaled a very frustrated breath.

"Are you alright?" Nikki asked, looking at her from her spot on the barricade.

"Yeah. Have I mentioned lately, she's a bitch?"

"Might of- **WATCH OUT"** Whitney heard her scream, but it seemed like everything had moved in slow motion. She'd focused too much on Renee, and lost her focus on the girls in the ring. AJ had flung Paige over the ropes, the Brit not having a chance to stop herself flying into the smaller woman. Whitney fell forward in a flash, head smacking against the barricade, leaving her in a small heap.

The world was spinning, words sounded funny, and she swore she'd never get the taste of that rubber out of her mouth, but she wasn't about to look weak. Nikki rolled her over carefully, doing her best to mind her head. Her ears felt like they'd been muffed, AJ's voice sounding so far away.

"We need to get you to the trainer, sweetie. Oh my God, I'm _so sorry!"_ Struggling to sit up, Whitney pulled herself to lean against the barricade she'd just had an involuntary make out session with. Shaking her head slowly, she closed her eyes to avoid them seeing the pain.

"I'm good. Just a little sore. I'm fine, really." Nikki put her hand on Whitney's shoulder, trying to keep her movements to a minimum.

"Paige, go get one of the Shield. **Hurry!"** She could see the pain etched on her face, along with the stubbornness wanting to not be babied. Whitney grabbed at air, finally reaching Nikki's hand.

"Help me up, Nik."

"That's not such a good idea, Whit."

"Just help me, will you? I promise, I'll be better when I'm standing." Reluctantly, Nikki stood, trying her best to help Whitney up, trying to get her to lean into her. Colby arrived first, being the smallest and the speediest, Paige running up out of breath. Colby tucked Whitney's hair away from her face, trying to get a good look into her eyes.

"You need to be lying down. Preferably in the trainer's room."

"I'm fine, Col. Just hurts a little."

"Please, darlin'. Listen to me, before Jon gets out here and loses his marbles, _fuck._" Colby whined, already hearing the sound of Jon's heavy boots running up to them. Gently taking Whitney into his grasp, his blue eyes frantically searched her brown, glassy ones.

"Hey, look at me. Can you do that?" his voice was soft, softer than any of them had ever heard him use. Whitney pouted at him, straining to turn her head and look at him.

"Babe, will you tell them-" her words were slurred, until she fell limp into Jon's arms. Careful not to jostle her too much, he pulled her up into a bridal carry, taking her to the back.

Jon sat in the uncomfortable metal chair for what seemed like hours, watching the rise and fall of his girlfriend's chest, waiting on her to wake up. Colby and Joe were outside, trying to calm the girls, all frantic and apologizing for not keeping better tabs on her. Jon had even gotten an text from Renee, who he thought he'd blocked her number. He should have known she had a hand to play in all of this. Joe slipped through the door, stepping quietly behind Jon, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Anything?"

"Not yet. Not even a grumble." Both men sighed, hearing the trainer talk about possibly needing to hospitalize her, at least for the night, if she didn't rise soon. Whitney's hand jerked suddenly, reaching to wipe her eyes. Opening her eyes slowly, she moved to sit up, only to be eased back by Jon.

"Easy there, tough girl. Lie back." Giving her 'the look', she eased down, Jon's hand in her hair, thumb rubbing across her forehead.

"Honestly, babygirl. _What_ were you _thinking?_"

"I was _thinking"_ she started, smacking her lips, Joe turning to get her a bottle of water, "I was thinking my brain felt like mashed potatoes." Taking Jon's hand, she sat up gingerly, sipping on the water bottle handed to her.

"What's my damage then?"

"Grade three concussion. You've been out for about twenty minutes. Some neck and shoulder strain, and a nasty bruise on your back where Paige's knee hit you."

"Can we go home?" Big doe eyes looked up at Jon, who placed a kiss on her forehead, leaning her towards Joe.

"Yeah, I think so. Let me talk to the doc, and then we'll go home."

She felt limp in his arms, trying hard to stay awake as he carried her back into their room. Settling her down on the bed, he turned on the air, trying his best to get her comfortable.

"What am I gonna do with you, my stubborn girl?" She looked at him quizzically, not understanding.

"I almost turned the damn table over when Naomi came over, telling me she'd seen Colby running off with Paige, that you'd been hurt. Then you're standing, with a bad head injury, until you pass out on me."

"I'm. I'm sorry." Tears brimmed at Whitney's eyes, Jon quick to wipe them away. Lying down beside her, he gently placed his forehead to hers.

"Just, don't scare me like that again. I love you too much to see you like that again."

"You..."

"Yeah. I said it. **I love you."** his lips turned up into a small smile, kissing her nose.

"I love you back." she grinned as well, pecking his lips.

"Now that that's settled, let's get some sleep. I get to be _Dr. Ambrose_ in the morning."

"And you said you didn't have a roleplay kink."


	14. Battleground Backstage

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: Oh holy Jeebs, this chapter gave me hell, and I'm not sure why! It sounds a little filler-ish to me, but I still like it.**

**Thanks for all the reviews and follows!**

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Walking back into his dressing room that afternoon, Jon was frustrated. He'd slept very little, ate probably even less, and had just gotten out of a meeting with Hunter, Stephanie, and Colby, regarding their match later on that evening at Battleground. Smacking the door with open with his palm, he startled Whitney, who almost dropped the surprise lunch she'd gotten them while he was busy with the Authority. Sighing, Jon flopped onto the couch, pulling his girlfriend into a side hug, kissing her temple.

"I take it things didn't go well." she stated, kissing his stubbled cheek before sitting back up, grabbing her bottle of water.

"Not really. Fucking _stupid_, really. Sorry about the door, babe. How's your head?" It had been almost forty eight hours since her accident, and Jon had been leery of bringing her with him to the show, the singer still struggling with headaches, limited movement of her neck and shrugged, itching mindlessly at the purple and blue marks that littered her upper back.

"Meh. It comes and goes. You still haven't told me what they said." she countered, shooting him a look. Leaning back into the couch, Jon rubbed his face in annoyance.

"They cut our match. Said it would be better, bigger, at Summerslam next month. There's just gonna be a couple brawls at different times tonight." Whitney rubbed his arm affectionately, not knowing how to make him feel any better about the situation.

"Well, that's kind of a good thing, isn't it? I mean, you and Col will get your match at one of the big four."

"Yeah, yeah. I mean, that part's awesome. But, spending every RAW and Smack Down getting beat up, getting disqualified, same old song and dance. I was actually looking forward to an awesome fight. You know, we used to have some damn righteous ones." The wicked smirk on his face told how much he enjoyed those days, though he wouldn't trade his days in the Shield for anything in the world. Shaking his head, Jon tried to focus a little more on lunch, a little less on his frustrations, coming to terms with the fact things would probably be better this way.

Lunch had helped cure a little bit of Jon's sour mood, sucking the sauce off the tips of his fingers. Stretching, he grabbed a box out of his bag.

"Gonna go grab a smoke real quick. Wanna come out?" he asked, tapping his pocket for his lighter. Whitney shook her head slowly, getting up to wash her own hands.

"Its too bright outside. Hurts my eyes." She walked over to Jon, kissing his cheek, settling back on the couch with her phone while he headed outside. He was able to find a secluded corner of the arena, without any prying eyes or cameras, glad for a little peace. The last couple of days had been hard, Jon getting to feel what Whitney had been feeling when he'd hurt his shoulder. Neither had been complete involents, but it wasn't exactly easy to sleep or rest, knowing your significant other was lying there in pain. He had to give it to her, she'd been tougher than he thought she'd be. Tough as she was though, he heard every time she whimpered, caught most every wince when she turned too quickly. He was tired, but there was no way he wasn't going to be there for her.

Taking a long drag off the cigarette, he heard another pair of shoes hitting the pavement. Figuring it was Joe or Colby, Jon didn't bother turning to see who it actually was. Looking down to avoid the sun in his eyes, he was quick to notice his thoughts were wrong. Pink sneakers stuck out against tan legs. Tilting his head up, he looked dead into Renee's face. One more puff before he spoke.

"You just don't understand what leaving people alone means, do you?"

"Look, I just wanted to say, I never meant for her to get hurt like that. I only wanted-"

"To start trouble. Renee Young _thrives_ on drama. That's why I had to get away from you."

"I only wanted her to feel as bad as I did. As I **do**. I _love_ you, Jon." Flicking the butt of the smoke into the grass, Jon spun on her, eyes cold and steely.

"_Love me?_ Or love what I did to you in the back of my car? We were fuck buddies, Renee. I never felt any real romantic feelings for you. I told you that, _**hundreds**_ of times at least. I don't know why you act differently. Do you _realize_ what you've done to her?"

"I wasn't the one that hit her, Jon."

"If you hadn't tried to start your shit, she would have been facing the ring, she would have seen Paige coming off the ropes. She can barely turn her head without the world spinning. She was almost put in the damned hospital, Renee!"

"I know. I had to talk to Hunter and Stephanie about it. I'm on a two week suspension." That explained her non Barbie like appearance, especially this close to show time.

"I'd be on a suspension much longer than that if you were a dude. That's _after_ the jail time I'd do." Walking away without another word, Jon left her standing alone at the exit door, not even caring if she shed a tear or not.

Battleground had ended up being a lot better than he thought it would have been. His mini brawls with Colby had put him way over with the fans, and even though Joe hadn't won, he definitely proved he was a big dog in the fight for the Championship. Colby had joined the couple back in Jon's locker room, waiting for Joe to finish up with the fans at ringside. Jon had Whitney's head in his lap, curling her hair between his fingers.

"So, little rock star, where are you guys off to next?" Colby asked, pulling his two toned hair into a ponytail.

"Home. There's a few shows in Dallas scheduled, plus, it'll be good to sleep in my own bed." The men laughed, knowing exactly those feelings. Colby watched the way Jon lovingly looked down at his girlfriend, remembering something he'd heard the other day.

"How would you like some house guests?"

"Say what?"

"If your dopey boyfriend had bothered to look at our schedule, he'd see that we're supposed to be coming to Dallas in a few weeks, leading up to Summerslam." Jon smiled, liking where Colby was going with his idea.

"And then if you want, you can come with us, the rest of the way until SummerSlam. It'll be a lot more nights of beds that aren't yours, but you won't be alone in it." Jon mumbled, laughing at Colby rolling his eyes.

"Here I was wondering how to ask you guys if you'd wanna come visit." Whitney laughed, playing with the frayed edge of a hole in Jon's jeans. Jon himself couldn't really wait to see his girlfriend in her element, in her home. He hoped it would do the band good, getting time to see their family and friends, some time to relax.


	15. Home

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: A little shorter on this one, but I feel like it covered a lot. Plus, I didn't wanna muddle it by covering this, and what I have planned in the next chapter. I can't believe I'm already on chapter 15! This story just popped in my head one morning at work. Shows what happens when I'm up that early!**

**Reviews and follows are welcomed and appreciated! THANK YOU SO MUCH!**

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He'd only been without her a couple of days, letting her go back to see her band mates, hoping time apart had changed their moods. Jon, along with Joe and Colby, had left Tulsa early, ready to get to Dallas and see the group. Joe had agreed to stay with Deacon, Jake wanting Colby to teach him some new workout tips, leaving Jon alone with Whitney. They'd gotten in Friday night, just in time to catch a late dinner at one of the band's favorite restaurants. Being home had done his girlfriend good, that he could see. Her skin was flushed with a light sunburn, hair pulled into low pigtails. She looked nowhere near twenty six, in dark short shorts and a faded Texas Rangers tee, something he loved about her.

"I don't know how you guys handle this. It's like a _million degrees_ out here." Colby whined, sitting in the backseat of the car with Jake. Jon sat in the passenger seat, smiling at the sight of Whitney's hair whipping around her face while she drove with the windows rolled down. The monitor on the dash read ninety degrees, even if it was close to midnight.

"Jon's gotta be used to it, I mean, don't you have a house in Vegas?" Jake asked, Jon shaking his head.

"I bought the house there, because it was so far away from Cincinnati. I love Ohio, but I needed to get away. I don't stay there often though, I'm more used to the winter." Dropping off the pair in the back, it didn't take long for Whitney to pull in the drive of a little two story home.

"It isn't much, but it's paid for. Dad bought it after the divorce, and willed it to me." Her eyes were focused on her keys, letting her guest inside before her. Jon could definitely see his girlfriend's personality shine through the house. For the first time in a very long time, he felt completely at home, something he hadn't even really felt in his own home. Dropping his bags in the living room, Jon noticed the wall next to the window, full of pictures. He was quick to recognize the tiny blonde in most of them, her smile the same after all those years. Taking a second look, he laughed, recognizing the others in the photos.

"Jesus, Whit. How long have you guys known each other?" His favorite was of the four of them in the bed of a beat up Chevy truck. Looking like they were about eight at best, Whitney sat in the middle, with a little Ben sitting next to her, giving her the bunny ears. His sandy colored hair had darkened just a bit, but his bright green eyes were a dead giveaway. Deacon's jet black hair stuck out from the edges of his Dallas Cowboys hat, sticking his tongue out at a toothless Jake, grinning like a madman. Whitney joined him, letting him wrap his arms around her.

"We were seven, and had to go to an after-school program 'til our parents got off work. By the end of the school year, some teachers thought we were related." Jon shook his head, his eyes still on the wall, almost seeing the progression of the band through photos. A few in the center caught his gaze a little longer, the subject a little different. Instead of her band mates, these had a little Whitney in the arms of a man with light green eyes and shaggy brown hair. He held her as a baby, holding her hand as she tried to walk. Kissing her head on the first day of school. A lump built in Jon's throat, knowing who the man was. Someone he'd never get to meet. The only man his girl might ever love more than him.

"He would have loved you." Whitney whispered from beside him, her fingers lightly grazing the shiny metal frame.

"How'd it happen?"

"Cancer. Caught it too late. Stage four in April, and he was gone by December." Tightening his grip on her, Jon placed a kiss on the top of her head. Sure, he hadn't had the best of childhoods, but he hated to think of the bubbly girl in his arms at fifteen, burying her father around Christmas time. Whitney's phone buzzed in her back pocket, breaking their little tender moments. Groaning to herself, she opened the text, causing Jon to laugh at her mumbles.

"What's all that about?" he asked her, taking her back into his arms as she slid her phone away again.

"Ben. Reminding me of band practice tomorrow. Like I'd forget. Its at my house." Jon pecked her nose as she rolled her eyes, letting go of her waist to take her by the hand.

"Let's go to bed, beautiful."

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Sitting on the stairs that next afternoon, Jon poked around in the takeout container of his sweet and sour chicken, waiting for Colby and Joe to come back with their food and join him. They'd picked that spot to watch the band practice, finally getting to see them in their element, just like they'd followed the trio around from workouts, shows, and interviews. Whitney sat on the floor next to Jake's leg, going over the notes for their show Monday night. Jon had barely thought how weird it was going to be, being at their show that night, missing RAW completely. He owed wrestling his life, pulling him out of the hell that was his past. But looking at the four in front of him, the three he lovingly called his "little bros", and the woman that stole his heart away, he figured WWE would have to get along without him for a while.

It didn't take long for him to no longer be alone, the other wrestlers laughing at the band's antics. Whitney was right; they acted much more like siblings than business partners. Colby nudged Jon's foot, trying to talk through a mouth full of egg roll.

"I was talking to Jake on the way here this morning. Their friends are supposed to be throwing them a party tonight."

"We can't get super smashed though, we have a show tomorrow night. But, I'm more than willing to relax for a bit." Jon groaned a bit, the thoughts of relaxing on the porch with a beer sounding excellent right then. They say home is where the heart is, and right then, Jon's home was in Dallas.


	16. Party Conversations

**Author's note: Yeah, another shorter chapter. Sorry guys, but my head is just so stuck in what happens AFTER this little bit, it's hard to get out what I really wanted in this chapter and next. But I promise, better stuff is coming! Thanks so much for all the reviews/follows/favorites!**

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Pulling into that gravel driveway later that evening, Jon was pretty sure they were almost in a different country, not just an hour away from their homes. The sun was low on the horizon, splashing the sky with different hits of purples, oranges, and pinks. He could smell the food on the grill, hear the radio coming from the house, on the local alternative station. Jon, Joe, and Colby watched as most of the band filed out of the car, leaping into the pile of friends that had come out to greet them. It felt off though, knowing someone wasn't with them. Ben had called right before they left, saying he would be late, waiting for his wife to get off work. The wrestlers noticed the change in attitude of the rest of the foursome at their drummer's comments, but they hadn't called them out on it.

Grabbing himself a beer out of a cooler, he took in the faces around him, watching everyone interact. His Shield brothers were much more sociable than he was, easily mingling into the crowd, quickly striking up conversation. Jon on the other hand, was much more comfortable sitting on the steps of the porch, being a people watcher.

"You look a little lonely." her Texan twang had deepened being home, Jon's lips twitching into a smile every time he heard it, no matter what she'd been saying to him. Standing beside him, carrying a couple of beers, along with a plate of food, he pulled her into his lap.

"Just waiting for you, darlin'. You look beautiful tonight, if I haven't told you already." he told her, placing his now empty first bottle to the side, opening both of their new ones.

"_Awh baby_." She blushed, laughing as he held his mouth open for a bite of the hamburger she had on her plate. Whitney may have thought he was being sweet, but he meant it. Even if she was just sitting there in shorts and a pink tank top. Her boots made her legs look longer, and were probably now on the list of his favorite things she owned.

"Any word on Ben?" he asked, Whitney just shrugging in response.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

"You know I can tell when you're lying."

"Can **not**."

"Can **too**. Your foot twitches, just like it is now. Tell me." he eased, kissing her cheek as he stole another bite. Whitney sighed, knowing he'd caught her.

"It's Kim. She doesn't like us."

"I thought you guys were all friends?" raising an eyebrow, he smirked, feeling her foot twitch, and then forcibly stop.

"Ben and Kim met when we were in high school. She's nice and all, but she never has liked Ben being in the band. Almost didn't marry him because he wanted to go on tour with us. She keeps saying she's just waiting on him to quit running around the country, and get a nine to five." Jon snorted, wondering what she thought about his own profession. Planting a kiss on shoulder, Jon put their now empty plate beside the empty bottles, wrapping his arms a little tighter around her.

"Don't sweat it, dollface. He'll always be your big brother."

The light of the sun was soon swapped out for a couple of mosquito torches, and the porch light, everyone getting full and quieting down. Ben had arrived not long before then, and Jon got his first real look at Kim. He'd met her briefly during that first week, but he'd been so focused on Whitney, there wasn't much time to get to know her before she flew back home. She was pretty, there was no denying that. Her caramel skin tone popped against the baggy white tee she wore, her curly dark hair held back with a thick black headband. Turning away from the couple, Jon walked back towards the house, seeing Colby in the kitchen with Whitney and a couple of her friends. His ears piqued at the sound of his name, knowing he was right when he saw the blush heat up Whitney's face. Standing just out of sight of the kitchen window, he decided to eavesdrop.

"Y'all look cute together, Whit. Them are gonna be some _beautiful_ babies." Jon's blue eyes went wide, hearing Colby choke a bit on his beer.

"**Katie!** We've only been dating a couple of months! I highly doubt its time to be talkin' bout _babies_."

"I'm just _sayin_, Whitney Elise, don't get all crazy." she eased, patting Whitney's leg before turning to Colby.

"Anyways, I'm glad y'all could come tonight. You coming tomorrow to the show?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world. They've put up with us at enough of our shows, its about time we return the favor." Jon took his chance to slip in, standing beside Colby, licking his lips with a smile.

"How much of that did you just hear?"

"Just enough, _Whitney Elise_," he replied with a smug smirk, "I just hope our first one looks like you."

"_First_ one?" she asked sarcastically.

"Oh yeah. We're gonna have ourselves a football team, babycakes. Just you wait and see."

"Just as long as **I** don't have to **watch**." Colby teased, stepping out from between the couple. Jon playfully pushing him.

"Like I haven't heard you and Leighla."

"And I don't _wanna_ hear about it." Whitney teased.


	17. Wanna Be Big Rockstars

**Author's note: Alright, so remember when I promised a longer chapter? I guess this one delivers! Man, I literally just started writing, and this happened all in about thirty minutes, I don't even know what came over me.**

**To all my reviewers/followers/favorites thanks for your support! I get excited every time I see a new email!**

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"You _sure_ you know where we're going?"

"You don't doubt me when we're on the road."

"There's also like a **hundred** more cars heading the same way. I just have to make sure you're following."

"Shut the hell up, and hold the food. I think I know how to use the GPS." Joe grinned, enjoying giving Jon a good ribbing that afternoon, the trio on their way to the venue, all three feeling a little awkward about being a fan, and not being the one performing on this particular Monday night. The band had left that morning, hyped up on copious amounts of coffee and energy drinks, far too fidgety to eat anything for breakfast. Joe had started teasing him the second he caught the look of concern cross his brother's face that morning, deciding to stop and grab the band lunch before heading out. He'd never seen him act this way, and in the few years he'd known Jonathan Good, Joe thought he'd seen every facet of him. But then again, he wasn't five foot two, with girl next door looks, and completely down to earth attitude. Seeing Jon with Whitney made him miss Galina and Joelle that much more. He'd seen his own girls just a few weeks prior, Galina helping Jon look after Whitney after the accident at Battleground. Joe had told Colby, but never told Jon, how little JoJo asked when Uncle Jon was going to give her a cousin to play with.

Pulling up to the venue, it was a curious sight. The outside was dilapidated, a few vintage marquees hung outside. What looked like one big warehouse, was actually three different establishments. The upstairs was a small venue, mainly used for acoustic sessions or meetings, and the downstairs was split between the main stage, and a local bar that had been around since their parents were teens. Walking inside, the place was bustling. Katie had volunteered to run their tiny merch table, which was only really burned copies of their songs, and some silicone bracelets they'd had ordered. The air was tainted with the smells of cleaning products, everyone trying to get the place spotless before that evening. Jon found a table big enough to sit all of them, setting the food down.

"I'm gonna go see if I can find them. They're prolly either still bouncing off the walls, or sacked out somewhere." Colby offered, straightening the cap he wore over his dual toned hair. Making his way across the stage, through the curtain, the air got warmer as more bodies traveled through smaller spaces. Following the sound of a tuning guitar, Colby rounded the corner, finding most of them sat in the hallway, their lead singer nowhere to be found.

"Where'd she go?" he asked, greeting the three men. Ben nudged his head to the next rounding corner, Colby faintly hearing Whit's voice get a little louder, and lot more frustrated.

"Who's she talking to?"

"Her ex." Colby's eyes went huge, as big as dinner plates.

"Don't worry. Bruce is a _huge_ dick. He let his friends call her all sorts of names, degrade her like she was nothing. Then, when they weren't around, he all of a sudden wanted her back. He's _**lucky**_ we didn't kick his ass."

"If _Jon_ finds out he's here, he might not _be_ that lucky." Colby warned, stepping towards the edge of the corner, keeping out of sight, but able to see what was going on. Whitney had turned to walk back towards the band, when he'd grabbed at her elbow, stopping her.

**"Don't _fucking_ touch me!"**

"I miss you, don't you see that? I miss **us**. I _love_ you."

"You didn't _miss_ me when you let your friends call me a whore. You didn't _miss_ us when you fucked that girl and got her knocked up. You didn't **love** me when you broke up with me over a _text_." Colby was seething now, not even sure he was willing to wait for Jon to catch up to this creep. Whitney turned again, ready to stomp away, when Bruce more forcefully grabbed her arm. Before Colby could even pounce, Whitney had come around, delivering a right hand hard enough to knock her ex a good few feet back.

"**Leave.** I'll have security escort you out if I need to." Bruce stumbled forward, Colby stepping up behind Whitney, who glanced behind her to acknowledge his presence. As soon as he had turned the corner, Colby leaned her back into a brotherly hug, ruffling her hair.

"Jonny teach you that right hook? Is the little rock star gonna turn Diva on us?" Nudging him playfully with her shoulder, Colby righted her so she could turn and face him.

"Jake taught me how to fight when we were teenagers."

"Well, your boyfriend would be proud of you. I know I am. Are you going to tell him about this?"

"You mean you're not?" she looked up at him, doe eyes in full effect. Colby rocked on his heels, scuffing his beat up black Adidas across the concrete floor.

"Not my place. Now come on, we brought you guys lunch to sop up all that coffee that's probably taken over your blood stream by now."

Jon didn't know how to feel later that evening, waiting for the crowds to start coming in. Whitney had told him about what happened backstage, and Colby had been right; Jon was overly proud of her for kicking ass, and not backing down. He'd laughed, and asked if she still had his number, that maybe he'd be better off with a certain blonde, she seemed to like crazy. Deep down though, Jon was feeling that familiar pang of disappointment. He wasn't there to protect her-**again**. He somehow blamed himself for not noticing the cuts on her wrists. He hadn't protected her from his own ex, causing her to get injured. And now, _God knows_ what would have happened if she was as fragile and her small figure led her out to be. He was supposed to be her Superman, save her from all the bad, since she was busy saving him everyday. He clung to the optimism she carried with her. She loved him unconditionally, flaws and all, something he'd only tasted in the likes of Joe and Colby.

Hearing the door beside him open, Jon snickered at who he saw come through it. The band would be thoroughly surprised, finding a handful of the roster standing right beside their favorite trio. Jon smiled knowingly especially at Paige, who'd developed a not so secret crush on Jake. Her long dark hair pulled into a ponytail, pale skin accentuated with her simple purple shirt and black leather shorts. The girl had been so scared when she fell on Whitney, but the pair had quickly become good friends. He spotted AJ in the arms of CM Punk, both of them still in their stupidly happy newlywed phase. Jon knew the feeling that crept in his heart watching the couple. Jealousy was a bitch. Shaking his head, he cleared the thoughts from his mind, knowing he was on the right track, as long as she would put up with him.

Fans began filling the dancefloor, shouts and catcalls echoing off the wooden walls. Lights began to dim, the shouts getting louder. Spotlights shone down on the stage, the band running out in a fit of giggles. The guys began their last minute tuning, Whitney standing up on a speaker to look over the crowd. Blowing a few kisses, waving at their little section in particular, she seemed like such a natural up there. Her tank top read "_my brain is 99.9% song lyrics"_ the white cotton standing out against the blood red open plaid shirt she had over it. Pairing them with distressed capris and red beat up hi-tops, Whitney looked like she owned the world at that moment. Red faced at all the attention, she finally spoke as the crowd died down.

"Hot _**damn**_, it feels good to be home." The crowd roared in appreciation, the band clapping back at them. Whitney spoke again, still giggling in excitement.

"Now, we have some very special friends with us tonight, so I think it's about time we show them _exactly_ how Dallas likes to party. Anyone wanna help me with that?" Another booming cheer, Whitney stepping off the speaker, Ben counting off on his sticks, beginning their set. All the past couple months' tension seemed to melt off the foursome, falling back into the siblings they always were. Jon's normal type of music was far away from poppy punk rock, but he was definitely sold on this lot.

They were waiting outside the venue for them late that evening, even signing a few autographs for the brave souls that spotted them. Finally, they emerged, tired and sweaty, but still buzzing from the night's performance. Jake leaned against one of the cars, next to Paige, smiling like a huge doofus when she pecked him on the cheek. Letting his arm slink _'innocently'_ behind her, everyone knew it would just be a matter of time. Jon looked at his own favorite member of the band, noticing how she'd swapped her contacts for her glasses, hair pulled up in a messy ponytail, changed into a pair of basketball shorts and a baggy tee shirt. She fell into him easily, his hand slipping under her shirt to rub the small of her back.

"You guys were amazing tonight." Punk spoke up.

"Really?" Whitney squeaked, her voice obviously strained and scratchy from their performance, her grin matching her band mates as everyone nodded in response. Soon they all split up to head back, Jon ending up with Whitney, Joe and Deacon in Whitney's car. Getting back on the freeway, the wrestlers noticed the adrenaline rush wearing off, suddenly left with two very sleepy band members. Deacon was barely awake when Jon reached his house, Joe helping him with the keys. Getting back to Whitney's house, Jon didn't even bother waking her up. Carrying her in the house, he slipped off her shoes, setting her glasses on the nightstand. Kissing her forehead, he laughed to himself, feeling her exhausted body still scoot over to cuddle next to him.

"I'm not going anywhere. Not without you, not ever." he whispered, not knowing if he was saying it more to her, or to himself, just knowing it was the truth.


	18. Fitting In

**Author's Note: Sooooo... I found out something today, and it completely changed something in my plot. JON GOOD IS GOING TO BE IN A MOVIE. AS A COP. HOLY BALLS. Anyways, sorry about the delays, and hopefully you guys like this chapter!**

* * *

Jon Good had been all around the world in his wrestling career, but Dallas was now easily one of his favorite cities. Maybe, just _maybe_, it had something to do with the things it did to his girlfriend. The slight tan to her usually pale skin, the Southern twang that laced her voice, and the general happiness that she'd been missing in the days before. He liked to think that _he_ had a bit to do with it too, but he knew a lot of it was being home, being around the people who loved her before she was Whitney Ryan, up and coming rock star.

Their original plan had been simple. By joining them on the road on the way to SummerSlam, Jon and Whitney would have around a month to spend together, instead of their usual week or two. The plan was quickly foiled though, spoiled by late night meetings, and days booked full of interviews and appearances. Frankly, Jon was ready for some time off. Being in Dallas, he'd felt things he hadn't felt in a while. He wasn't Dean Ambrose, he wasn't Jon Moxley. He was just Jon, and he honestly couldn't remember the last time he could say that. Maybe after SummerSlam, it was time for a vacation.

He'd felt guilty, knowing he didn't get to spend a lot of time with her, but Whitney had been keeping herself busy. AJ had kept her promise from Battleground, and was teaching her a couple of simple moves when she'd visit them during training. There was something in particular that had kept her interest the longest though, something she'd found by complete accident. Whitney had heard about their "**Be A STAR**" anti bullying campaign, wishing something like that had been around when she was a teen. Whitney remembered how cruel the people around her were after her father's death, especially once they found out about her self harm. She could still hear their taunts from time to time, someone even telling her she'd be more famous for killing herself than she'd ever be as a singer. Stephanie had invited her to sit in at a meeting, and the McMahon was simply in awe at just how comfortable the singer became in the meeting. At its end, Stephanie poured herself a cup of coffee, handing another one to Whitney while they talked.

"Thanks for letting me join in today. I hope I wasn't a bother." Whitney told her, smiling shyly.

"A bother? Whit, you were _amazing_. If you weren't so busy taking over the world, I'd **love** to have you on the team." Stephanie replied, stirring her coffee. Whitney just blushed, thinking there was no way in hell Stephanie was serious, most likely just being nice. 

_[Jonnycakes] Don't wait up, its gonna be another late night :( But the next two days, you're mine :D_

Whitney smiled, reading the text that evening, even though she was bummed that she'd be alone for another night. Changing into some more comfortable workout gear, she decided a quick workout would do her some good. Walking into the gym, she sighed, finding herself still alone, the TV the only thing keeping her company. Hopping up on the treadmill, Whitney found herself getting lost in the cartoons, not even hearing someone else walk in.

"Jon's out again?"

"Holy crap."

"Sorry, thought you heard me." Joe's gray eyes held a hint of guilt, getting on the machine beside her.

"Yeah. If its not for SummerSlam, it's for that damn movie."

"You don't want him to do it?"

"It's not that. But he mentioned something the other night about taking some time off after this, but now he's gonna be busy filming. I just miss him. Sorry." she turned away, trying not to vent her frustrations at him. Whitney grinned despite herself at the TV, she always did love Powerpuff Girls.

"I know what you mean. JoJo really likes that show. She reminds me of the pink one."

"Blossom." she replied, turning back towards Joe.

"And you're so the blue one."

"Bubbles? I was _positive_ I was Buttercup-the green one."

"I **_gathered_ **that." he started, rolling his eyes at her sarcasm, "but Buttercup is tough all the time. You're definitely Bubbles. You're sweet until someone rattles your cage."

"You excited for them to be here tomorrow?" she asked, catching his lip bite. It had been all Colby could talk about for the past few days; how Leighla was coming to visit. Joe had been much quieter about having Galina and little Joelle flying in, Whitney unsure why. Stopping his treadmill, Joe gripped the safety bars, hair falling in his face.

"Its been all I can think about since I left them after Battleground. But I'm scared. She's getting so big, and I'm never home. What if she hates me for it?"

"She could never hate you, Joe. Girls always love their daddy." he looked up, sharing a smile with the blonde, dropping his grin when his eyes locked on the scars on her wrist. Whitney's eyes followed his gaze, rubbing at her wrists.

"I still think about him. All the time. We fought, and there were times we weren't exactly the closest. But there was never a day I wasn't glad he was my dad." Joe swallowed thickly, soaking in what she was saying, remembering the night she blurted out the awful truth of those jagged lines, saying a prayer he'd never have to put his own daughter through that hell.

"You're so damn smart, babygirl. How the _hell_ did you end up with someone like _Ambrose_?" he teased, grinning back at her. Whitney shook her head, taking a drink of water.

"Let's be real, Joe. It's the booty." 

By the next afternoon, Whitney's budding confidence had suddenly faltered. She'd spent the morning cuddled with Jon, the two of them skipping breakfast completely, too busy with each other for pancakes. Finally getting up, they found themselves alone, Joe and Colby already on their way to the airport. Jon mumbling something about Colby sending him a text, saying they should all meet up for dinner, caused a bit of shyness to bubble to the surface in the singer. These women had been with their men for years. Joe and Galina even had a daughter together. _What if she didn't fit in?_ Three months quickly felt like three hours, and Whitney wasn't sure about anything anymore.

Jon noticed his girlfriend's budding insecurities, and he wasn't sure about the feelings they gave him. He felt sad, wishing she could see her the way he saw her. Whitney Ryan was dynamite on stage, but was quite the opposite off stage. It scared him though, thinking that he was so in tune with her after just a couple of months, that she didn't need to say anything.

The pair was the last of their 'family' to arrive that evening, Jon pulling Whitney against his side, draping his arm around her shoulders, planting a kiss on her forehead.

"Keep twirling your hair, and it'll fall out like mine." Cautious brown eyes looked back at him, knowing he wasn't just talking about hair.

"You worry too much. Have I ever told you that?"

Whitney followed behind Jon, following the waiter back to their table, wanting to bite her nails, trying to take Jon's pep talk to heart. She was excited to see Galina and Joelle again, this time without the haze of painkillers. She'd seen Colby's pictures of Leighla, hearing the stories that she and Colby were like peas in a pod. Taking a deep breath, she heard Joelle squeal in delight.

"Uncle Jon! Uncle Jon!" Jon's laugh was deep and rich, kneeling down to hug the little girl, petting her soft curls.

"Auntie Whitney too!" Jon grinned, picking up his neice, facing his girlfriend, who's eyes were brimming with tears of joy. Joelle reached from her spot, waiting for her hug. Whitney hugged her tightly, Jon's voice in her ear.

_"And you were worried about fitting in."_


	19. Rollercoaster

**Author's Note: Again with the weird chapter. I start writing, and then something changes, and I want to incorporate it in the story. I'm trying to stay as close to real life as I can, though some of this is definitely out of character. This chapter might get edited later, because I'm weird, and I never like the way it sounds when I read it back to myself. :)**

* * *

_Life is an adventure._ It was a motto Whitney Ryan had always lived believing. Her life had been a roller coaster, no one knowing every turn along the track. She was only a year old when her parents divorced. Things were good for almost fourteen years, until her dad got sick. At fifteen, she was spending her weekends in a hospital room, eating cafeteria lunches and watching fuzzy tv's with him, trying to keep his mind off the pain of chemo. Her brothers were the only ones really there for her then, taking her home with them on the weekends, doing their homework together, trying to keep things as normal as possible.

When Chris Ryan passed away, Whitney's life spiraled out of control, the roller coaster in a nosedive. Moving into her mother's small apartment, the teen became self conscious, hyper aware of how she looked, and everything that was wrong with it. Janet Ryan never wanted to be a mother, and she made her daughter suffer for it. The bullies at school never bothered her, they were nothing compared to the bully at home. Ben's family took her in when she was seventeen, ten months before she could have left on her own. He told her once he never gave it a second thought, no way he could live with himself after finding her crying in the bathtub, tears flowing almost faster than the blood seeping out of her arm.

Now, twenty six, this was one of the best years of her life, sitting in the locker room with her pieced together family, backstage at SummerSlam. These were the only people besides her boys back home that she'd ever felt safe with in the past eleven years. Leighla and Galina had immediately taken her under their wing, treating her like their sister. To Joelle, she was another aunt, one that loved to curl up by the window and read with her, one that gave her favorite hugs. As far as Joe and Colby were concerned, Jon was their brother, and by default, that made Whitney their baby sister, one they would always love and protect, just like their own girls.

Jon caught his girlfriend perched on the counter top, miles away in thought. He thought he'd never be able to wipe the smirk from his face, seeing her in his first official WWE merch. Her hair was straight, held back by a white and black checkered headband, in jeans and a belt very much like his own. It had been their joke, supporting their men by wearing their shirts. Jon had never felt more proud than that afternoon. They'd taken over the WWE almost three years prior as a team, and were finally making it big on their own. Seeing the support from their family made it all the better.

He'd just made it to the back, followed by an equally sore Colby, the men just finishing their lumberjack match. It had been a stressful couple of days, filming for their documentary, preparing for this match, for Jon especially. For the first time since they'd made it to the main roster, he'd be taking some time off, filming a movie with WWE films. Jon felt bittersweet about it all, eager to see his acting debut, but missing his home already. He also harbored a little guilt, having to postpone the vacation he'd been talking to Whitney about. Somehow, he decided, he'd make it up to her. She was still off in her own little mind, oblivious to his approaching figure.

"I can't think of anything better than what I'm lookin' at in front of me right now." he whispered in her ear, kissing the goosebumps on her shoulder away. He could see her hair falling just past her shoulders, still too short to cover up his initials on the back of the white tank, almost marking her as his. Whitney giggled, pecking his lips, carding through his sweaty hair.

"What'cha thinkin' about, dollface?" he asked, standing in between her knees, letting her play with the hem of his gray undershirt that he always wore to the ring lately.

"Nothin' really. Bein' a sap, I guess."

"What's a _sap_?" interrupted Joelle, who neither one of them had seen enter their little bubble. Whitney smiled at the girl's confused face, about to tell her, when Jon took the opportunity from her.

"Being a _sap_ means you're being _mushy_."

"Look at the _**dictionary**_ over there." Colby teased, throwing a bottlecap at Jon's head, Jon resisting the urge to flip his little brother off, not missing the warning look from Daddy Joe, turning back to his two favorite girls.

"Auntie Whitney, can we go get a soda? Mommy said I could have one, but she's busy with daddy." Nudging her head towards her parents, Galina was trying to keep Joe in the zone, preparing for his upcoming match against Randy. Hopping off the counter, Whitney took her hand.

"Sure we can. Want something babe?" she asked, looking back towards Jon, who'd propped himself against the counter top.

"More than a soda."

"Sure? You sound pretty **thirsty** over there." Whitney deadpanned, laughing when Jon shot her the finger, making sure Joelle wasn't looking. She let Joelle lead the way, not letting her get too far ahead, trying to keep her out of harm's way. They barely saw her small frame, surely they'd miss Joelle, bouncing braids and all. Not too far ahead of them, someone sounded pretty upset, causing Whitney to take Joelle's hand again, not sure who was upset about what. Coming around the turn, Whitney barely had time to gasp before she was drenched in water.

"_Crap_. I'm sorry. **Whitney**! Oh man, I'm _**really** _sorry!" Rubbing the water away from her eyes, Whitney stared up into the eyes of Jake Hager, who she knew better as Jack Swagger.

"I'm alright, just a little wet. You good, JoJo?" Her sidekick nodded, giggling, wiping a few rogue droplets from her arm. Jack handed her a towel, still murmuring apologies to her, or himself, she wasn't sure which.

"Was it you that was yelling?"

"You heard that?"

"I think half the arena did. What's wrong?" Jack's posture dropped, his burly hand running through his blonde hair.

"My match with Rusev. I'm supposed to be the big patriotic guy, and they have me pass out to the Accolade. I can't believe they let the Russians win."

"It'll get better, won't it?" she tried to sympathize with him, hearing Jon talk the same way when Creative wasn't exactly seeing eye to eye with him. Jack shook his head, eyes trained on the ground, on the little girl between them, on _anything_ but the woman beside him. He couldn't bring himself to pout in front of her. He'd never tell her, he'd never tell _**anyone**_, about the crush he had on Whitney Ryan. Jack knew that Jon would break his neck if he even spoke about it, but it was true. Jon stepped in just moments before he could steal her away, his pride shattered when he saw her take Jon's arm.

"Sure it will. Anything can happen in this company. I've seen it." She grinned, Jack unable to resist her charm. The pair stood their awkwardly, not knowing what else to say, Joelle breaking the silence with a tug on Whitney's still damp shirt.

"Oh. Right. We're on a soda hunt."

"Sorry. Again. Let me make it up to you some time?" Whitney bit her lip, not sure how to react to that. It sounded more than being polite, it sounded like a proposition. The answer spilled from her lips, distracted by another tug on her shirt.

"Sure. I'll see you 'round, Jack!" she called back, being tugged away by her niece, completely missing the way Jack's ears turned a rosy shade of pink.

Joe had already left for his match by the time the girls got back with the drinks, Whitney shivering, just now registering that she was walking around in a damp tank top, under heavy air conditioning. She just thanked her lucky stars she wore a dark tank top underneath, avoiding all the stares from her bra showing through the fabric. Jon's nose scrunched at the sight of her, touching her shirt.

"You're going to catch cold like that, silly girl. How did you get soaked anyways?" he asked, both of them feeling a bit of deja vu. Jon just hoped it wasn't because of the same reason as the first time.

"Mr. Jack was mad about his match. He was throwing water, and it got Aunt Whitney _**all wet**_!" Joelle told him, eyes wide, her hands waving frantically. Jon raised an eyebrow, wondering why she wasn't upset about getting wet so unexpectedly.

"He didn't mean anything by it. He's upset about the way things went with Rusev tonight. Offered to make it up to me sometime. No big deal." Whitney shrugged, not noticing Jon's struggle to keep himself under control. He just knew Jack wasn't as innocent as those boyish looks would have people think. He may be older, and bigger, and wrestled in school, but it didn't matter. Whitney may have been oblivious, but Jon wasn't about to let Jack take her away from him. Plucking his jacket from his bag, Jon slid it over his girlfriend's clammy arms.

"First one to wear it. You should model my stuff more often, babe." he laughed, trying to distract himself, deciding he'd figure out what to do about Jack later.


	20. Sending Messages

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I really meant for this chapter to be out over the weekend, but I was out all day Sunday at the One Direction show :) Thanks for all the reviews and follows, it really means a lot!**

* * *

He looked so utterly pathetic right then, and Whitney was enjoying every minute of it. They'd come back to their room after the show, dog tired and in need of showers. Jon had gone first, now lying on their bed, turned on his stomach, clad only in blue plaid boxers, watching Whitney get ready to join him. Jon wouldn't dare look in the corner, knowing what laid there was destined to bruise his heart again. A couple of weeks ago, Jon would have been smiling like a lunatic, knowing where those suitcases were headed. After RAW, they'd take some time off, and Dean would be able to take her to the house he bought there in Vegas. Maybe having her there with him would help him make those walls a home. But now, they'd be separated at the airport, Dean flying back to Vegas alone, Whitney headed back to Dallas, last minute efforts to chase a record deal. Jutting his lower lip out, Whitney leaned against the doorframe of the bathroom, laughing silently at her boyfriend.

"Why do you _have_ to go back to Dallas. Why can't I kidnap you?" he pouted, rolling over onto his back, waiting until she got close enough to pull her on top of him.

"Because _someone_ is about to be really busy being a movie star."

"While _someone else_ is about to be really busy being a pop star."

"I just hope we get that contract." Whitney mumbled against his chest, little goosebumps raising on her skin where Jon's calloused fingers traced aimlessly across her back.

"What if..."

"What if what?"

"I shouldn't say it."

"What if we don't get it." her voice dropped, head nuzzling tighter against him. Jon bit the inside of his cheek, knowing he shouldn't have mentioned it, but he wouldn't be able to stand it, just imagining how far she'd fall if her bubble popped.

"I dunno. I haven't thought about it much. This band has been basically everything for the past three years. I guess I'd go back to the hardware store I worked at before we went on the road." Jon scrunched his nose, out of her sight. He didn't like her leaving all the time, but he really didn't know if he liked the thought of her stuck in a nine to five, unable to come see him as often or for as long as they'd both been getting accustomed to.

* * *

The week had passed by slowly for Whitney, being home just wasn't home without Jon. She hadn't been able to talk to him much in the past couple of days, missing that drawling, husky voice in her ear. Trying to keep the feelings of missing him at bay, Whitney consumed herself in her work, remembering just how much she liked writing songs in general. Words had new meanings now, the love interest no longer a random face in the crowd. Now she knew that face had a permanent five o'clock shadow, eyes more blue than the heavens above, he was smarter than some teachers she knew, and had a sense of humor that would make the devil himself blush.

Her living room had become her command center; dinner table, makeshift bed, working area, and right then, a place to settle, and watch SmackDown. She knew Jon wouldn't be on that night, shuddering at the memory of seeing Colby's foot connect with her boyfriend's head through those cinder blocks. Colby had texted her that Monday afternoon, reminding her in advance that she'd fallen for a man that craved the extreme, pleading with her not to kill him once she saw what he had to do. Turning on the telly that evening, leftover pizza in her lap, Whitney's brows furrowed in confusion, seeing Seth Rollins coming down to the ring, in a match against Jack Swagger. Jack had nothing to do with Seth recently, he wasn't even one of the lumberjacks from SummerSlam, why would they put them in a match together?

The answer was painfully obvious in just moments, though definitely more painful for Jack. To the fans, Seth Rollins was just flexing his muscles, using Jack as his whipping post in Ambrose's absence. But to Whitney, realization dawned on her that some other, more personal reason was behind this booking. Mercifully, the match was ended, and Whitney muted the commercials, hitting the call button on her phone.

**"Hello?"**

"What did he bribe you with?"

**"_What?_ Wait, Whitney? What are you talking about?"**

"You know what I'm talking about, Colby."

**"It _is_ Friday, isn't it."** Colby snickered, Whitney snorting in disgust.

**"Don't be like that, you're my brother's girl. I'm not about to let some backwoods idiot creep on you behind his back!"** Colby could almost swear he could hear Whitney roll her eyes, thinking back to his conversation with Jon that Monday night, the lunatic's words still echoing,

_"I can't do it myself, Col, but that dick needs to learn who he's messing with."_

Whitney huffed, shocked at herself that she was shocked they were acting like grade school boys.

"It's innocent, Colby. Jack's innocent. I happened upon him in the middle of a hissy fit, and he felt bad. Now I feel bad, 'cause he got beat up for it." he sighed on the other side of the phone, surprised Whitney was able to make him feel guilty about it all. She just couldn't see, it was the brotherly thing to do. He'd expect Jon or Joe to do the same for him if it were Leighla.

"**Relax, buttercup. We just sent him a little message. As long as he catches our drift, that'll be it. Now I gotta go, I promised Leighla dinner."** She forgot, it was two hours earlier out in California, saying a quick goodbye before flinging her phone onto the table in front of her. Her boys were definitely frustrating, but in an endearing way which kept her from really being mad at them. Turning back on the show, she debated whether she'd give Jon a little hell about it, if he was even able to call at all that night.

Some time after eleven, Whitney decided it was finally time for bed, changing into one of Jon's shirts she'd managed to nick from him, crawling into the king sized bed that was missing the big lug that seemed to fit it perfectly. She felt small, incomplete, and cold underneath the cotton sheets alone. No matter how hard she tried, sleep refused to come. Tossing, turning, pulling and fluffing, Whitney tried everything, finally lying there exasperated, watching the ceiling fan above her twirl its blades, doing its best to keep the heat outside. A sudden buzzing caught her attention, his entrance music flowing out as the ringtone, making her smile.

_"Hi baby."_

"Hi handsome." Jon groaned into the phone, obvious how much he'd missed her in those few days.

_"Shit, doll, it's almost midnight there. I didn't wake you, did I?"_

"Nope," Whitney replied, Jon hearing the rustling of the sheets around her, knowing that she was at least in bed, "I can't sleep."

_"I know exactly the feeling. God, Whitney, I miss you so fucking much, it's pitiful."_

"Hopefully I'll be out to see you soon, movie star."

_"It won't be soon enough, that's for damn sure. I heard you gave Colby a talking to earlier."_ Whitney grumbled, having forgotten about the whole ordeal until then.

"I oughta kick your butt, Jon. Poor Jack."

_"**Poor Jack** nothing, babygirl. He tried to ask you out on a date for God's sake!"_

"Did not."

_"Did too. You're just oblivious to it. You're a girl, it's in your nature."_

"Hey!"

_"Sorry. I don't wanna argue with you tonight. I won't apologize for having Colby teach him a lesson, I'll just apologize it wasn't me that did it."_ Jon retorted, thinking back to Sunday night, their little family heading back to the hotel, Joe carrying a sleeping Joelle in his arms, when Jon spotted Jack talking to Zeb a few feet away. His ears were burning red at the tips, Jon swearing he licked his lips in a grin, watching Whitney walk away. Jon took pride in watching that grin fall the second he wrapped his arm around Whitney's waist, who was still in his jacket, kissing the top of her head. He was used to Randy's viper antics, being a slithery snake in the grass, but he wasn't ready for someone like Jack Swagger trying to upstage him, and take his girl. Jon worried, maybe Jack was closer to Whitney's type. He never got to see Bruce, the ex she punched back in Dallas, but he always worried he wasn't enough for her.

"You're a punk, you know that?" she giggled, breaking him from his thoughts, signaling to him she wasn't too cross with him.

_"But you love me, dontcha?"_

"So _so much_. We're pitiful together, babe." Whitney told him, fighting back the yawn. Jon's voice was soothing, better than a lullaby. She could imagine him there with her, the way his solid frame felt against her.

_"Get some sleep, beautiful. One day closer to being back together. I love you!"_

"Love you too." she replied sleepily, placing her phone back on the nightstand, rolling over, falling into sleep, her phone interrupting her again.

"I might love you, but I'll kick your ass for interrupting my sleep, Good." she grumbled, plucking the phone from its spot, straining to read the bright screen in the dark room. It was a text, but not from Jon.

_**"Just thinking, you never told me when's a good time for me to make it up to you :)"** _Whitney gulped, thinking about what Jon and Colby were saying, wondering if they were right all along.


	21. His Turn

_**Author's Note: Filler chapter, maybe? Trust me, I know what I'm doing. At least I think. Seriously, though. I do, I just don't want to muddle chapters with too much. It can get hard to follow, especially when I can't seem to write a chapter in one sitting! Thanks so much for all the follows/reviews/reads in general. You guys are amazing!**_

* * *

_Whatever_ was in that cup, Jon was sure it wasn't coffee. Wiping his tongue on the neck of his shirt, he moped, turning to look out the window. Usually, he'd refuse to fly. He drove Colby and Joe nuts with his hatred of airports, planes, all things aviation, preferring to cram everything in their SUV, enjoying life on the literal road that much more. Things were different this time around though. This time, he wasn't flying for work, he was flying for pleasure. Driving from Vancouver would take ages, no matter how much of a lead foot he had. Flying was the much quicker option, and he always preferred the quicker option, especially when it came to getting to Dallas, and getting to spend Labor Day weekend with Whitney.

Jon had been surprised with the news on Wednesday by Stephen, the film's director, who was immensly pleased with how their first week of filming had gone. Acting wasn't really anything new for Jon, he'd been basically doing it for the past decade, standing in front of a camera, putting on a front, and changing costumes. Instead of crowds full of people chanting his name, now all he had was Jeremy, a his college age assistant who had his pimple filled face stuck to his phone. Stephen had smiled wide that morning, hiding his secret until lunch that afternoon. They were going to take a four day weekend, not having to be back until Tuesday to start filming again.

Jake was in charge of picking him up from the airport that morning, the guitarist the only one Jon knew would be alert that early. Still staring out at the dimly lit clouds below, he smiled, thinking about not only Jake, but the family he'd pieced together around himself. Joe was his big brother, the one he looked up to, the one that wasn't afraid to kick his ass when he needed it, but was always there to defend him. Galina accepted him at first like her boyfriend's college furniture, eventually winning her over, earning her mama-bear protectiveness. Galina was the one who checked up on Jon the most, never liking it when he was alone. Joelle changed him. The little girl latched onto him immediately, one of the brightest spots in his life. Jon kept a picture in his wallet of the two of them when she was smaller, JoJo sleeping on his broad chest.

Colby was his little brother, always ready to challenge him. Colby hated being the youngest, even if it was less than six months between he and Jon, making him push that much harder. He kept Jon on his toes, kept him pushing. Colby was used to being the butt of Jon's pranks, as long as Jon remembered that karma was a bitch. When Leighla joined the picture, she was shy, getting to know Jon when he was her shoulder to cry on during one of the couple's first fights. It was Leighla that saw through Renee's antics first, risking her friendship with Jon to get him out of the toxicity.

Now he had three 'baby brothers' to tag along with, to show the world. Ben was like Colby, practical, sarcastic, too damn smart for his own good. Deacon was the shy guy, happy as long as everyone else was happy. Jake was a die hard country boy, his cheeks usually sunburned as red as his ginger hair, too busy out fishing or fixing his truck to worry about sunscreen. All three were fiercely protective to their own little sister, surprisingly accepting of the man that swept her off her feet so quickly.

Grabbing his bag from the over head container, he was one of the first ones bounding through the terminal, spotting Jake leaned up against one of the huge glass windows, sipping on a large can of Red Bull.

"You probably have more of that crap in you than blood at this point. I don't see how you do it." he laughed, Jake rubbing his eyes, smiling softly.

"Because it's too damn hot for coffee."

"**Ugh.** Let's not talk about _coffee_ right now," Jon whimpered, the taste of the mud still on his lips, squinting at the bright window, "or the _heat_, really. Seriously, did Dallas move closer to the sun?"

Jake sniggered, pulling his aviators from his shirt collar to put them on, ruffling his strawberry blonde hair.

"**This** from the man that lives in the desert. It's not too bad today, only supposed to be one-oh-one." Jon rolled his eyes, shielding his eyes with his own shades.

"_**Only?** _You're bonkers, know that? And Vegas is basically a really expensive storage unit, really. Home is where ever, 'pends on who I'm with."

"Like us?" Looking over at Jake, he really did look like a little brother, standing there only five ten, brown eyes hidden, but still wide in anticipation.

"At the risk of sounding like a _huge sap_, yeah. Like you guys."

"Well then, _welcome home_, bro." Jake grinned, taking Jon's bag and stuffing it in the back of the extended cab.

**XoX**

He was nervous, and being nervous made him even more nervous. The things that girl did to him. He'd been at Jake's house all morning, getting a chance at a decent breakfast and a shower, not wanting to smell like musty plane seats when he saw her again. He'd listened to Jake banter with her on the phone, teasing her. Ben may have been the one she was closest to, the one that saved her from the darkness, but she and Jake were like two peas in a pod. He was only three months older than her, sharing a lot of her personality traits. Jon smiled as he watched the younger man talk on the phone, trying to stifle his laughs, hearing Whitney on the other side of the speaker, threatening to beat him up.

The plans for a pool party sounded amazing to Jon that afternoon, the only sane thing to do in the sweltering heat. He saw her bright red Jeep in the driveway, his heart doing somersaults. She'd only been away from him for a few days, but the longer their relationship lasted, the less and less he liked being away from her. It had been almost four months since he'd seen her for the first time, and yet, they'd only been able to spend around two of them physically together. The wheels began turning in Jon's head, wondering how hard it would be to convince her to fly up to Canada for a while.

He didn't have to search long to find exactly who he was looking for. She was turned away from him, holding a baby that he vaguely remembered to be Katie's son Calum. The black of her swim top was stark against the neon orange tank top she had on over it, with the state of Texas and the phrase "_Football, Y'all_" standing out in white, dark denim short shorts showing off her pale legs. He never understood how someone that lived in a place so sunny could be so pale, but there she was. Whitney looked completely content, rocking in place with little Calum, kissing the baby's forehead. He gnawed on his bottom lip, thinking about how if he was lucky enough, one day, that'll be their kid she was standing there holding. Katie noticed Jon, smiling softly, turning to Whitney.

"Lemme see little man a minute."

"Awh, why?" Whitney giggled, kissing the baby one last time before handing him back to his mother.

"Because, darlin', _**your**_ man is standing right behind you." He heard her gasp, turning slowly, afraid it wasn't true. Her eyes went wide, little orbs of dark hazel brimming with happy tears, seeing him standing a few feet away, in a pair of red trunks and a white tee shirt.

"You said you _liked_ surprises, right? I mean, I could _always_ go-" he was cut off as she barreled into him, wrapping her arms around him.

"**Nope**. Not going _anywhere_."


	22. What Words Don't Say

Jon usually spent his Saturdays at the gym, trying to sweat out whatever hangover he'd managed to work up Friday night. Whitney usually spent hers getting ready for the next show, the first one up, the last one to go to bed. Both were used to burning the candle at both ends, which made that particular Saturday morning, lazily curled up in bed, sleeping way later than either of them could remember doing in the past. The screen on the clock read almost noon, but Jon was content to stay snuggled next to his personal cuddle bear.

She was lying on his chest, her arm slung over his torso like dead weight, fingertips brushing his side. Her hair was getting long, covering half her face in dirty blonde waves. He could lay like that forever, just the two of them. Jon knew they were talked about, everyone seemed to have an opinion on their relationship. It wasn't like he was deaf to all the rumors in the locker room, and boy were there a ton. Though her friends had seemingly welcomed him with open arms, there were some of them that worried about their hectic schedules, worried about the time he spent away from her. To be honest, he worried about that too, gnawing on his lip then and there, trying to figure out when he could see her next.

Whitney shifted against him slowly, stretching like a kitten, her toes rubbing against his legs, sleepy brown eyes doing their best to look up and focus on him.

"Morning, doll face."

"Hi." she whispered, attempting to turn away from him.

"Where you going?"

"I'm hungry."

"Stay." he pouted, tugging her back against him, now becoming the big spoon.

"_Pizza_." she whined.

"_Princess_." Jon retorted, kissing the bare skin of her shoulder, smirking at the goosebumps riding up her back. Placing her hand atop his, their fingers intertwined just above her hip. Whitney's eyes were closed, trying to memorize every detail about that moment, knowing it would be fleeting all too quickly.

"I missed you. I know it sounds stupid, it's only been like less than a week since I saw you last, but it's true." Jon just smiled, knowing she couldn't see, brushing her hair off her neck, nuzzling his face in the warmth.

"It's not stupid if it's true. I missed you too. I'd gotten so used to you being there with me every day, our bed warm every night, it was hard when I didn't have you."

"That sounds amazing."

"What does? Are you dreaming about pizza when we're trying to have a moment?" he teased, releasing her hand to gently tickle her side, settling his arm around her waist. Whitney shook her head just a little, ruffling her already messy bed head.

"No. Just the sound of '_our bed_'. I like it."

"I love you." he replied, pulling her closer, leaning over to kiss her cheek.

"Do you really have to go tomorrow?" Whitney asked, just above a whisper.

"You know I do, darlin'. We've still got a couple of weeks until we're done."

"I know."

"Maybe you could come visit? Canada is really gorgeous. And it's cooler up there." The silence that over came the room was deafening. To say that Jon was expecting a different response; a response at all, really, was an understatement.

XxX

Standing in the shower that afternoon, Whitney was more focused on the tension she felt in her boyfriend's arms than the shampoo threatening to get in her eyes. Something was wrong, though she hadn't quite figured out what. He'd been quiet since the talk about Canada, getting up before she'd had a chance to answer him. Whitney didn't know _why_ she didn't answer him. Maybe she was scared of being around all the new people on a movie set. In the back of her mind though, the smallest part of her heart, she didn't want to follow him, **again.** She didn't want him to think of her as a puppy, willing to just chase him all over the globe. There was no denying she loved him, but there was that creeping feeling that she was willing to sacrifice more than he was for their relationship.

Whitney had heard it all, since that night in May. Her brothers had teased her initially, Ben being the driving force, convincing her to go after what- or who- she wanted. Their friends back home weren't so accepting or supportive at first. They said it was concern for her heart, she was falling too quickly. Some said it was just a phase, as if she was a toddler acting out. A few even told her she was just in it to boost her celebrity, wondering if the band had made her shallow. Maybe it had. Whitney wore her heart on her sleeve, marred as it was with her insecurities. She'd wondered a lot, especially when he wasn't around, that if she wasn't Whitney Ryan, pop's newest princess, and was just Whitney Ryan, regular country girl, would Jon Good give her the time of day?

Downstairs, Jon was barely paying attention to the television, a knock at the door surprising him. Looking through the peep hole, he could see Ben about to explode in anxiety. Opening the door, all he could hear was the drummer repeating,

"Oh my **God.** I can't believe. I can't even. Where is she? I gotta tell her. She's _never_ gonna..."

"You're not gonna _**get**_ to tell her if you don't take a breath, little bro." he laughed, handing the younger man a bottle of water.

"Tell me what?" Whitney stood at the bottom landing of the stairs, her hair still in damp waves, dressed in just a pair of distressed capris and a red tee shirt. Ben left the bottle on the counter, heading towards the singer.

"Allen called."

"Who's Allen?"

"Our agent." Whitney whispered, scared to death at that moment at what Ben was about to say. She couldn't tell if he was happy or upset, hoping for the first, preparing for the second. Grabbing her by the shoulders, Ben looked down at his trembling sister.

"He was talking about the _Monumentour_ coming to town, you know, _New Politics, Paramore_, and _Fall Out Boy_?"

"Ye-yeah. We were gonna go, right?" Ben nodded, taking a deep breath, trying to continue.

"Allen's in Houston right now, and said Hayley's sick. They're not sure if she's going to make it to the Austin show tomorrow night, but that they're scrapping Paramore for Corpus Christi and Dallas."

"Oh?" Jon watched the pair, anticipation rolling off them in waves. Whitney was almost vibrating in trembles, waiting for Ben to finish.

"What would you say if I told you we've been asked to open for Fall Out Boy and New Politics in Corpus Christi, and back here at home?"

* * *

**Author's note: Talkative chapter, ain't it? I split it up, not wanting too much going on in the chapter. True story about Paramore, though. I went to the Dallas show last month, and it was just New Politics and FOB. So why not put a little real life in the story?**

**BE BACK SOON! :D**


	23. Words Hurt After All

**Author's note: So I caught a little flack on the last chapter, making it sound like Whitney said no because of what her friends thought. Whitney didn't actually say no, she hadn't said anything yet to be honest. I hope I redeem myself a bit in this chapter, even though it is a little talk heavy. I may be able to sneak one/two more chapters in before Night of Champions, but we'll see!**

* * *

"I gotta go, still gotta tell Deek and Jake. I'll text you later with the flight info!" Before Whitney could even digest what he was telling her, the drummer was out the door, still hooting and hollering about their opportunity. On the staircase, she stood there in shock. They'd been listening to Fall Out Boy since high school, their music always on their playlists. These two shows were going to be their big break. Opening for one of their favorite bands in their own state, and finally in their home town, Whitney wasn't sure how much luckier she could get.

Jon knew how he _should_ have been feeling in that moment, he was pretty sure the rock in the pit of his stomach _wasn't_ it. She was just so **damned** happy, standing there on cloud nine, eyes glazing over with the thought of the crowds, and the music. Unfortunately, he couldn't bring himself to be that happy for her. Jon had been waiting for her to come downstairs, her laptop screen still glowing with the airline's website, Jon waiting to click 'confirm' on two tickets back to Vancouver. Standing there now, hands jammed in his jeans pockets, that idea was out the window.

"What's the matter?" her voice was high, but he could tell her happiness was waning, noticing now his stoic nature. Jon sat back on the couch, reaching to close the windows on her screen. Whitney sat beside him, catching a glance before he was able to close it.

"Oh."

"**Oh.**" Jon scoffed, rubbing at the five o' clock shadow on his face. There was no telling where the sudden anger was coming from, but if he wasn't careful, she was going to get the brunt of it.

"Babe, I-"

"I get it, you didn't want to go. A simple _no_ would have sufficed, though." he snapped, her brown eyes growing wide at his tone.

"That's not it at all, in fact, I was actually planning on telling you _yes_ before all of this."

"Don't patronize me like that, Whit, just admit it if you didn't wanna go."

"I already told you I was wanting to."

"Then _why didn't_ you say anything _earlier_?" Whitney stood, walking into the kitchen, hoping a glass of water would calm her nerves. She'd never really seen this side of Jon before. He was looking more like Dean Ambrose, his hair getting wild, those blue eyes electric.

"Remember what I told you that first week we met? How New York was the first time I'd been more than a day's drive away from home? Did you ever think that **maybe** I needed some time to think before I packed up and left again? I've been travelling this whole country with you for weeks now, Jon. One hotel to the next, one venue to the next. I needed some time to get used to that."

"Sorry its been such an _**inconvenience**_ to you, spending time with me. You better get used to that kind of feeling there, princess. Do you think it's just going to be sunshine and lollipops when you're out there on the road with the boys? That you won't be doing the same thing? Hell, you won't even get the **luxury** of a hotel room, you'll be having to sleep on the bus to make it to the next town on time."

"It's not an inconvenience, Jon, don't make it out to be. I'm just a little nervous."

"Right. I forgot. Hafta stay within your comfort zone. Why? Scared you're gonna meet someone that **doesn't** like you? Someone you're **not** the center of attention around? That's why you're comfortable here, isn't it? You're so _protected._ First by your daddy, and then by the boys, until you met me. Have you ever even stood up for **yourself?**" Jon felt like he should slap himself for the things he was saying, knowing he vowed himself to protect her, but anger made him do stupid things. Whitney was biting back the tears, determined to keep him from seeing the effects of his rage. Placing her cup down in the sink, Whitney came out of the kitchen, brushing cooly past Jon and towards the door.

"Now where are you going?"

"Out into that big bad world, but don't worry. I won't need you to protect me. Wouldn't want to _inconvenience_ you." The door slammed against the jamb, Jon too dumbstruck to run out and follow her, not even knowing if he should. He'd never been in a situation like this, never been in a relationship like this. Sinking back onto the couch, he tried to place what he was feeling. He wasn't angry at her. It was almost the same feeling he had the night they met, when she ran off for rehearsals instead of staying with him. Maybe it was a form of jealousy, her job stealing her away from spending time with him. Running sweaty palms against the knees of his jeans, Jon wondered how long he should wait before he really worried.

XxX

Hour one went by quietly enough, he figured she would walk around the block, cool off a bit, give him time to calm down.

Hour two passed by, and the rock in his gut grew bigger, paining him with guilt and worry.

By hour three, he decided to phone Joe, needing someone to talk to, scared to death of what her band mates would say or do. What if she had gone to their house, and was getting advice from them? Jake, Deacon, and Ben had rallied around him from the start, and he was hoping he hadn't ruined it already. Joe was easier to talk to in situations like this, Colby too much of a hot head like he was. Of course, the Samoan gave him a hearty ass chewing, both as a man, and as a father of a daughter. Jon's eyes fell upon a picture of Whitney with her father, she'd told him it was on her first day of high school, the last first day he'd gotten to see. He wondered what her father would think of him now.

It had been four hours since she'd walked out, the bright blue sky giving way to darker shades of pink and purple. Jon was at the table, tying his shoes, trying to locate the keys to Whitney's car, hoping that he'd' be able to find her quicker by driving than on foot. Cursing to himself, he shuffled papers around, beginning to let the panic of the situation get to him.

"_Fuck_, where are those **god-damned** keys!" he shouted to himself, palms flat on the table.

"They're actually on the coffee table, I think they're under my cap." Jon nearly gave himself whiplash, turning to the front door, seeing her red and blotchy face.

"Baby, I'm-" she started, cut off by his kiss, wrapping her up in his arms. Her skin was warm from being in the sun for so long, goosebumps rising from the coolness brought on by the central air inside. Holding her close, Jon rambled into her hair.

"_Jesus Christ_ you gave me a damn heart attack. Don't leave me like that again! Are you alright? Where have you even _been_? Fuck, doll, I'm so sorry, please don't believe a word I say, I'm an ass."

"You sure are." Whitney laughed, letting herself fall into him, her arms linking around his middle. Jon squeezed her a little tighter, letting go to settle them both into the recliner, Whitney straddling his lap, facing him. His fingers reached up to her face, cool against her flushed face. She kissed the palm of his hand, leaning into his touch.

"I can't believe I made you cry. I fucked up so badly."

"You had every right to be angry, baby. I let my worries get the best of me. I let my insecurities get in the way. I sometimes get scared, and listen to what people say, that I'm not good enough, or that you're gonna go and find someone else, and I'll just go back to being this humongous dork."

"_One_, you may be a humongous dork, but you're **my** dork." Jon began, kissing the little upturn of her lips.

"_Two,_ I didn't mean, or have any right to talk to you like that. I was jealous."

"Jealous of what?" Whitney stared back at him incredulously, big, watery chocolate eyes locked on him.

"Jealous of something else getting your attention. Getting you to smile the way you usually just save for me." he pouted, resting his head against her shoulder, smiling at the soft kiss she placed on his temple.

"No _thing_ or no _one_ is ever going to replace you in my life, Jon Good. I was nervous about Vancouver, but I was going to tell you yes. We don't get to spend a lot of time together, and I bet you look hot as a cop."

"Remind me to send you pictures when I get back to set." he teased.

"Naughty boy." she scolded, fingers busying themselves in his curls, and the back of his neck.

"I love you." he told her, pressing a kiss to her lips.

"I love you too." she replied, leaning to rest against his chest. They'd worry about planning their next moves the next day. Right then and there, they were just content being together.


	24. What Comes First

**Author's note: Holy crap I meant for this chapter to be out a whole lot sooner, but it gave me the WORST case of writer's block! Also, in the interest of trying to keep to the real life storylines, I had to incorporate Roman's injury. Hopefully, you guys still like this chapter, and more hopefully, I can get out of this funk, and get the story back on track!**

**And again, thanks to everyone for their follows/reviews!**

* * *

He could see her from the window, staring out into the midnight sky. It wasn't exactly anyone's favorite place to spend a Friday night, but as soon as they got the call Joe was getting wheeled into emergency surgery, they all rushed over as soon as they could. She was the last to arrive, running on straight adrenaline, surprising everyone by flying in early. Her knees were tucked up to her chest, catching the few tears she allowed to escape. Grabbing his jacket on the way out, he slipped it over her shoulders before settling down beside her.

"Gonna catch cold out here like that. You're still dressed for Dallas. Nashville's a little farther from the sun." It was in the eighties back in Texas, barely in the sixties there in Tennessee.

"Yeah well. I was in rehearsals when Galina called."

"Did you have a show tonight?"

"We were supposed to. Cancelled it."

"_Whit_," Colby sighed, tapping his fingers against her knee, "that's not gonna look good, trying to get your contract." Whitney pulled her knees a little tighter, wedging her chin in between them.

"Don't care, Colby. I learned something the other night, something I _used_ to remember. The band, the contract, the shows, all of it. **Secondary**. Family, you guys, Jon, the boys, that. That _should_ come first." Colby didn't need to ask which night she learned her lesson, he'd heard enough from Jon. He'd never heard his brother sound so broken, so scared of losing someone in his life. Whitney and Jon may have only been together for five months, but a relationship like theirs sometimes took years for others to find. Colby tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear, wiping away a few stray tears with his knuckles.

"You still remember, sis. You're here, aren't you? Don't cry. He's gonna be alright. Takes a lot more than just a hernia to knock out Superman." Whitney choked out a laugh, nodding.

"Just brings back bad memories, being in a hospital." He sighed, pulling her close to him, lips on her forehead, rubbing her back. She hadn't been in a hospital since her father passed away, unable to shake the memories of watching him slowly get weaker until he died in front of her.

"Let's go create some better memories then, huh?"

**XxX**

By Sunday, everything was looking a little better. Joe was still in the hospital, but he promised he'd be watching his little brothers in action, doing his best to stay unbiased. Everyone was secretly rooting for Jon though, on the night of his big return. Whitney watched as he paced the locker room that evening, the anticipation evident on his frame. This was the longest amount of time he'd been out of action since he began wrestling as a teen. Thinking about the thousands of people in that arena tonight, he wondered if they actually really missed him. She chewed on her nail, standing there against the door, watching him work himself up, defying his usually cool demeanor, suddenly fretting over every little thing.

Jon fell onto the couch, picking at a loose string on the arm.

"Honey." Whitney called, Jon not even nodding in her direction.

"_Ba-by._" she cooed, stepping closer, already hearing him mumbling to himself.

"**Hey**." she whispered, straddling his legs, finally locking on with those blue eyes she loved.

"Hey yourself." he grinned wickedly, resting his hands on her backside.

"Thought that might get your attention. Nervous much?"

"A little," Jon mused, slipping his hands underneath the hem of her shirt, rubbing calloused fingers over the smooth skin of her back. "I just don't know if they want me back."

Whitney raised an eyebrow at his confession, stroking the baby curls at the nape of his neck.

"Who, the fans? The people that have been blowing up social media? The people with countdowns on their phones for tonight, hoping you're coming back? The people that came up to me at my shows, asking if I was hiding you backstage?" she giggled, kissing the little crimson staining his cheeks.

"They did that?"

"Damn right they did. You _don't need_ the push like Colby and Joe do. You just go out there, and they fucking _**adore**_ you. I mean, who else is that unpredictable, has that charisma on the mic, is that damn _good looking-_"

"Cheap shot." Jon teased, giving her sides a small tickle.

"Get my point though, dontcha?"

"I do. I do." he replied, holding his hands up in surrender.

"God, I'm happy you're here with me tonight." Jon told her, pulling her towards him, kissing her with all his might, smiling at the sound of her squeak of surprise.

She'd been right after all, his ears still ringing at the deafening sound of the crowd the second he stepped out of that taxi cab, headed for the ring. Jon hoped no one saw or heard him scold Colby for the little smirk he gave, glad to see his big bro back in action. Colby was always notorious for breaking character, especially if either Jon or Joe were injured. Suddenly he was jumped by security, his mind wandering back a few pay per views, to a scene very similar to this one. His heart was thumping in beat to all the "_**Am-brose Am-brose"**_ chants reverberating off the walls. Jon's booming laughter could be heard once they got him backstage, setting him on his feet, removing the zip ties they had around his wrists. He knew he missed this, but until that moment, he doubted even he knew how much.

"Yep. **Definitely** forgot about you out there." he heard her giggle, turning around to see her standing just to the side of gorilla position, his discarded leather jacket over her shoulders. Jon smiled, wider than he had that whole night.

"**That.** That was so much damn fun. But, I don't really think I could take another month off like that. I 'bout went crazy not being in that ring." Whitney's smile didn't quite reach her eyes, not that Jon could be tamed enough to notice. They still hadn't been able to plan their get away, time for just them that wasn't anywhere near Joe and Colby, or the guys back home. Shaking her head, trying to rid herself of the negativity trying to brew, she took the opportunity to pounce, jumping on Jon's back. Gripping onto her thighs, Jon held tight, walking them back to the locker room.

"Where are we going?"

"Get our stuff. I say we go celebrate with Superman for a while, before we do a little celebrating of our own."


	25. UPDATE

Working on chapter 25. Should be out some time this weekend.

I've also been cleaning up past chapters. You should go and take a look :)

Can't wait for you to read the newest chapter!

-sodapopritalin


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